TRANSPORT

Airports

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with (a) BAA and (b) other airport companies about improving (i) the facilities and (ii) cleanliness at UK airports; and if he will make a statement.

Charlotte Atkins: holding answer 14 March 2005
	Regular meetings with BAA and other airport operators present a good opportunity to discuss a range of airport issues. However, the refurbishment of existing airport facilities and routine methods of maintaining cleanliness are primarily matters for the operators to decide, with appropriate regard to all relevant health and safety legislation.
	Enforcement arrangements are subject to local arrangements at each airport but generally the Health and Safety Executive is responsible for enforcement airside, while local authority inspectors are responsible for enforcement at terminal buildings and landside activities. Local authority inspectors are also responsible for enforcing food hygiene and food safety legislation throughout airports, and they consider health, safety and welfare issues affecting employees, including provision and adequacy of welfare activities.

Buses

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pensioners in Morecambe and Lunesdale he expects will benefit from free bus transport.

Charlotte Atkins: From April 2006, the Government are extending the existing statutory minimum requirement for concessionary fares so that people aged 60 and over and disabled people in England will be guaranteed free off-peak travel on their local bus services, with no charge for the pass.
	In Morecambe and Lunesdale, all residents over 60 will benefit from free local bus travel. According to the 2001 census, there were then 20,223 pensioners (men aged 65 and over and women aged 60 and over) and 22,549 people over 60 in Morecambe and Lunesdale.

Congestion Charge

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on congestion (a) charges and (b) penalty charge notices by the Department since the commencement of the congestion charging scheme.

Charlotte Atkins: Information on congestion charges and penalty notices incurred by vehicles provided to the Department by the Government Car and Despatch Agency is included in the response given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 28 February 2005, Official Report, column 957W.
	The central Department has spent £1,168.87 on congestion charges incurred by civil servants on official business. This figure does not include the Department's agencies as they do not record the charges separately from other travel costs and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department does not usually pay congestion penalty charges, as civil servants are personally responsible for such fines. One penalty of £40 was paid soon after the charge was introduced as the penalty was incurred as the result of a payments error.

Crossrail

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether a full cost benefit analysis has been made of the need for a Crossrail station at Woolwich; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what consultation has been carried out to ascertain the views of people in southeast London on a Crossrail station at Woolwich;
	(3)  what assessment has been made of whether a Crossrail station at Woolwich would meet the Government's integrated transport criteria for new rail schemes;
	(4)  if he will ensure that the merits of a station at Woolwich are properly assessed before the Crossrail Bill is presented to the House;
	(5)  what estimate has been made of the costs of building a station at Woolwich after the Crossrail link to Abbey Wood has opened.

Tony McNulty: A Crossrail station at Woolwich was considered during the development of the project, but could not be justified on the current estimates of cost, passenger numbers and benefits. Crossrail will pass under Woolwich in deep tunnels and the cost of constructing an underground station would therefore be high. In view of this, powers have not been sought for a station at Woolwich in the Bill introduced into Parliament on 22 February 2005. However, the alignment of the tunnels has been designed so as to allow a station at Woolwich to be developed in the future, if it could be justified at that time. An area of land has also been safeguarded for this purpose.
	No estimate has been made of the potential cost of constructing a station at Woolwich once Crossrail is operational. However, this would entail closure of the route from Custom House to Abbey Wood for a number of years, and therefore the cost would be greater than for construction before operation.
	Cross London Rail Links Ltd., the company set up to develop and promote the Crossrail project, consulted widely including two 12-week rounds of public consultation on the project. During both rounds, public information centres were held at Woolwich and Abbey Wood, to provide information and seek residents' views. These were supported by mail drops to those potentially affected, newsletters, a dedicated website and a 24-hour telephone helpline.

Gatwick Express Service

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what safety issues (a) at stations and (b) on trains were considered prior to the publication of the Strategic Rail Authority's Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Study proposal to remove the all day Gatwick Express Service;
	(2)  what account the Strategic Rail Authority has taken of the safety report commissioned by BAA and submitted to the Strategic Rail Authority in consideration of its plans to remove the all day Gatwick Express;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the changes proposed for the Gatwick Express Service set out in the Strategic Rail Authority's Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Study;
	(4)  what account the Strategic Rail Authority took of the expected increase in numbers of passengers using Gatwick airport outlined in the Air Transport Policy in its Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Study proposals to remove the all day Gatwick Express service;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of the expected change in road use that would ensue if proposals to remove the all day Gatwick Express Service, as set out in the Strategic Rail Authority's Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Study, are implemented.

Tony McNulty: The draft Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy does not propose removing the London Victoria to Gatwick airport service. It proposes keeping the fast Gatwick to Victoria services, and increasing their frequency from four to eight trains per hour. Services will be extended to cover south coast destinations. In developing the strategy the SRA reviewed a number of documents and data sources to understand future growth demands, this included The Future of Air Transport" White Paper. The SRA and Network Rail are continuing to work closely together regarding passenger handling issues at Gatwick airport station, and are considering the issues identified in BAA's safety assessment. Given that the RUS proposals aim to improve the performance and reliability of train services on the Brighton Main Line, making services more attractive to passengers, it is not expected to have an adverse effect on road congestion. The views raised in consultation will be taken into account before the final Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy is issued.

Penalty Payments

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to waive penalty payments for train operating companies involved in industrial disputes.

Tony McNulty: Penalty payments are one aspect of franchising. Under the Railways Bill, responsibility for passenger rail franchising would pass to the Secretary of State for Transport and Scottish Ministers as appropriate. Whether and how these specific powers will be used in the future is an issue we will want to consider once Parliament has completed its consideration of the Bill.

Railways

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many recorded (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries there were on railway lines resulting from trespass in (i)Leicester and (ii) England and Wales in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: The Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) advises that between 1997 and 2004 there was one fatality (a confirmed suicide in 2000–01), but the provision of more specific detailed information in the form requested would entail disproportionate cost.
	Details of the number of fatalities and injuries resulting from railway trespass in Great Britain since 1997 are set out in the following table. HMRI advises that the provision of trespass data for England and Wales since 1997 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		Railway fatalities: Trespass and Suicides Great Britain,1 April 1997 to 31 December 2004
		
			  Trespassers Suicides Grand total 
			  Fatal Injured Fatal Injured Fatal Injured 
		
		
			 1997–98 108 115 157 21 265 136 
			 1998–99 132 130 115 19 247 149 
			 1999–2000 141 115 133 29 274 144 
			 2000–01 168 148 132 29 300 177 
			 2001–02 147 145 124 34 271 179 
			 2002–03 141 111 117 26 258 137 
			 2003–04 149 113 98 29 247 142 
			 2004(1) 157 — 36 — 193 — 
		
	
	(1)Covers the period 1 April 2004 to 31 December 2004 only; and is provisional and may be subject to change.

Roadside Accidents

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured in road accidents involving car occupants unexpectedly requiring to leave their vehicle at the roadside in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The information requested is not available.

Traffic Commissioners

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many traffic commissioners have undertaken training with the Judicial Studies Board in each year since 2000.

David Jamieson: All newly appointed traffic commissioners and deputy traffic commissioners attend the Tribunal Skills Development Programme organised by the Judicial Studies Board.

Traffic Commissioners

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what disciplinary procedures apply when claims of misconduct against a traffic commissioner are substantiated.

David Jamieson: Paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 to the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 provides that a Traffic Commissioner may be removed from office by the Secretary of State for Transport on the grounds of inability or misbehaviour.

Traffic Commissioners

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role his Department's legal team plays in reviewing and deciding what information is to be released to the Law Society in respect of a complaint against a traffic commissioner relating to the commissioner's conduct.

David Jamieson: Where a body such as the Law Society makes a request for the release of information from the Department, the request will be considered on a case by case basis. The Department's legal team may be requested to advice as necessary.

Traffic Commissioners

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his Department's practice to indemnify traffic commissioners in any actions brought against them for damages.

David Jamieson: It is the policy of my Department to indemnify traffic commissioners in any actions brought against them in relation to the exercise of their statutory functions.

Traffic Commissioners

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether traffic commissioners are required to notify their Department if they have business connections or other involvement with (a) haulage contractors, (b) coach operators and (c) transport consultants.

David Jamieson: Paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 provides that if a traffic commissioner acquires a financial interest in a transport undertaking which carries passengers or goods by road within Great Britain, he or she must notify the Secretary of State for Transport within four weeks of the acquisition.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Accidents

Jon Trickett: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission how many accidents occurred at the House of Commons premises in each of the last five years involving (a) members of the House of Commons Service and (b) members of the public.

Archy Kirkwood: The Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Service records and analyses information on the numbers and types of recorded injury accidents affecting those who work on or visit the Houses of Parliament. The following table outlines the statistics for the House of Commons for the past five years:
	
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 All injury accidents 304 198 155 155 138 
			 House of Commons  Service staff 207 143 117 128 99 
			 Members of the public 13 8 2 1 6 
		
	
	The slight increase in injury accidents to members of the public in 2004 may reflect the large increase in numbers of visitors on organised public tours.

Accidents

Jon Trickett: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission whether the Commission publishes the data for the number of accidents at work involving employees of his Office; and if he will make a statement.

Archy Kirkwood: Since the House adopted a health and safety risk management strategy in 1999, accident rates have fallen steadily. An annual figure of 372 injury accidents in 2000 dropped to 172 in 2004. During the same period the number of injuries resulting in lost time from work fell from 43 to 15 incidents, indicating that more recent accidents are generally of lesser severity. A number of initiatives are under way to target hazards which may lead to accidents.
	Statistical information on the numbers and types of recorded injury accidents for the House of Commons is available from Parliament's Occupational Health Safety and Welfare Service, and is reported to the House's Health and Safety Committee on a quarterly basis. The Committee analyses the information for trends and considers options of future strategy to help improve safety performance and further reduce accident figures. An article on accident statistics over the past five years is scheduled to be published in the next issue of the Parliamentary staff magazine, 'In House'.

Accidents

Jon Trickett: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what arrangements for monitoring accidents at work involving members of House staff are in place; and if he will make a statement.

Archy Kirkwood: All injury accidents are required to be recorded on Parliament's Incident Reporting Form in line with accident reporting procedures. Once reported an accident investigation takes place to identify root causes and put in place any reasonably practicable measures to prevent or reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
	Copies of each accident report are sent to the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Service (OHSWS). OHSWS produce reports and statistical analysis of injury accidents on a quarterly, annual and rolling basis for the House's Health and Safety Committee. Trend analysis and risk assessment further identifies problem areas and helps development of appropriate strategy to improve safety performance and reduce future accident figures.

Early-day Motions

Lembit �pik: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburghand Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the marginal cost is of processing an early day motion; and how this figure is calculated.

Archy Kirkwood: Costs of processing Early Day Motions (EDMs) include the time of Clerks in vetting the motion, costs of staff entering the data and costs of printing and publication, which depend on the number of times motions are reprinted. EDMs vary in size and complexity and the number of names added to them may be one or many. Processing and printing EDMs is only one of a number of tasks carried out by the staff involved and no realistic disaggregation can be made which can give a cost, marginal or otherwise, of all aspects of processing a single EDM. The best estimate available of the overall costs of printing and publishing Early Day Motions in 200304 is 573,000, giving an average cost per EDM of 263.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Kyrgyzstan

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is giving to the Government of Kyrgyzstan to help it establish a framework for dealing with mentally ill patients in psychiatric institutions.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) is part of a multi-donor effort to help the Kyrgyz Government develop and fund a health sector strategy for the next 10 years. This comprehensive strategy will include work on mental health.
	This assistance is part of DFID's broader programme of support to the Kyrgyz Republic that includes: technical assistance to support the reform of public administration; support for combating HIV/AIDS; strengthening poverty statistics; support for rural livelihoods, water and sanitation.

Oil Extraction (Third World)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) the economies and (b) the environment of Third World countries of oil extraction; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what support his Department gives to Third World countries with regard to oil extraction; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not directly fund oil extraction in developing countries. We do support the World Bank's involvement in the extractive industries. The oil and gas extractive industries form a very small part of World Bank Group's lending portfolio. Investments are subject to high social and environmental safeguards that set a standard for the industry at large, as set out in the World Bank Extractive Industries Review published in 2004.
	We recognise that revenues from oil and gas resources can potentially support economic growth and social development that may lead to reduction in poverty. In some countries, however, the large revenues generated from oil and gas production have been associated with corruption, conflict and increased poverty.
	The Prime Minister launched the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in September 2002. It seeks to increase the transparency of payments to Governments by oil, gas, and mining companies; and the transparency in use of revenues by Governments. DFID has led an international coalition of Governments, industry and international organisations, both within and outside countries hosting significant extractive industries, to improve transparency and reporting of revenues. Nine developing countries have committed themselves to implementing the principles of the EITI, with a further four African countries making new commitments at a London conference on 17 March 2005. The World Bank is actively participating.
	DFID monitors and comments on the environmental and social impacts of projects and programmes funded by the World Bank and other International Financial Institutions (IFIs), where we have stakeholder obligations as contributors. In some cases we have commissioned independent studies to improve our understanding of key economic and environmental issues and evaluate how they are being addressed. One example is the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline. We have also kept in close touch with the issues raised by the proposed Sakhalin Island 2 oil pipeline development in Russia.
	DFID is working with others (including the IFIs) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on improved environmental assessment procedures for use at the planning stages of new projects and programmes. This will include the application of such procedures to large-scale projects in oil extraction, where these are funded by the IFIs.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture and Fisheries Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 14 March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, and I represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels on 14 March 2005. Ministers responsible for fisheries and agriculture in Northern Ireland and Scotland were also present.
	The Council agreed a proposal concerning establishment of an EU Fisheries Control Agency, which the European Council had previously agreed to sit in Spain. We were able to support a compromise proposal for commission representation on the Agency's administrative board.
	The Commission reported progress in negotiations with the Russian Federation to agree certain plant and animal health controls. While the UK has not so far been among the member states most affected by Russian requirements, it was encouraging that progress was being made to resolve the remaining differences.
	The main item for discussion at this Council was Rural Development. The presidency focused discussion on a small number of issues in the current proposal to revise the Rural Development Regulation, principally focusing on the LEADER reserve and inviting ments on the Rural Development Strategy which it is planned to table in June. I reiterated the importance we attach to devoting at least half of the financial resources under the Regulation to environmental work, expressed some doubt as to the level of the LEADER reserve proposed and supported others in giving a general welcome to the likely shape of the strategy framework.
	The Commission presented a progress report on implementation of the EU forestry strategy. Member states took note.
	The Commission also presented proposals for EU measures to address market crises through new risk management techniques in the industry. This was a brief presentation, with substantial discussion planned for later in the year. The Commission made it clear that it opposed extending any kind of generalised safety net provision such as that found in the current beef regime. It also indicated that the use of any modulated funds would only be possible in the context of rural development programmes and measures that were compatible with the WTO Green Box.
	Under Any Other Business, we raised the question of cetacean by catches and the need for greater protection of dolphins. The Commission undertook to call for international research on the subject to be accelerated. Portugal drew attention to the difficulties that prolonged drought had caused in its rural areas.
	Over lunch, the Commission updated Ministers on the WTO agriculture negotiations. I welcomed recent progress and reminded the Council of the importance of making progress in good time for the Hong Kong Ministerial in December.

Environment Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the Environment Council on 10 March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State attended the Environment Council on 10 March 2005.
	The main outcome of the Council was the adoption of two sets of conclusions. One set forms a contribution from the Environment Council to the Spring European Council (scheduled for the 22 and 23 March 2005) and is a response to four Commission communications: the Mid-Term Review of the Lisbon Strategy, the 2004 Environmental Policy Review, an initial review of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy and a report on implementation of the Environmental Technologies Action Plan. The second set of conclusions represents the Environment Council's recommendations to the Spring European Council on climate change, specifically medium to long term emission reduction strategies and targets.
	Council conclusions on the Environment Council's contribution to the Spring European Council were adopted after a full discussion. Almost all delegations supported the presidency text and emphasised that environmental protection and economic growth went hand in hand. The Secretary of State supported the idea of a statement of principles for sustainable development, but emphasised that these should be integrated into the revised EU Sustainable Development Strategy. In this context, the Secretary of State referred to the recently published UK Sustainable Development Strategy, an executive summary of which was circulated to delegations.
	Council conclusions on climate change were adopted following a debate. The conclusions reaffirm the December 2004 Environment Council conclusions, referring to the global nature of climate change and the requirement for international co-operation, and to recent scientific research under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations required to meet the 2degrees centigrade objective. Drawing on this research, the conclusions suggest the consideration of pathways to 2020 and 2050 for greenhouse gas emission reduction in developed countries. The agreed text makes clear that the EU wishes to explore the future framework with others and that the language on emissions reductions is an evidence-based assessment rather than a prescriptive call for action. The conclusions also invite the European Commission to continue its analysis of costs and benefits of reduction strategies, including the costs of inaction.
	Council adopted a Decision on a negotiating mandatefor the second Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters, which is scheduled for 2527 May 2005 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
	Council also adopted a negotiating mandate in preparation for the second meeting of the parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, scheduled for 30 May-3 June 2005 in Montreal. The negotiating mandate was adopted under qualified majority voting procedures, following a presidency compromise which included the addition of UK-proposed wording.
	Council conclusions were adopted in preparation for the first conference of the parties to the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants, which is scheduled for 26 May 2005 in Punta del Este, Uruguay. The presidency thanked the UK for chairing the preparatory work for this conference on its behalf. Council conclusions were agreed unanimously following a small amendment to reflect the concerns of two delegations.
	Minister John Ashe (Antigua and Barbuda), Chair of the 13th Session of the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD 13), briefed the Council on preparations for the next session which will take place on 1122 April 2005. An exchange of views followed, in which member states and the Commission stressed the importance of links between CSD 13 and the Millennium Review Summit to be held in September.
	Under Other Business, the presidency gave an update on negotiations on the REACH chemicals strategy and Belgium presented items on the import of wild birds and illegal logging. Germany raised the proposed Services Directive, arguing that country of origin rules presented a threat to national environmental standards, and should not result in levelling down, a view which was supported by some other member states. The Commission referred ministers to the recent statements to the Competitiveness Council and European Parliament on this issue, and other delegations took the view it was too early for Environment Council to discuss the scope of this measure. Austria, with support from a number of member states, raised an issue concerning the Commission's approach to national safeguard actions in relation to GM maize variety MON 810. The Netherlands set out concerns about the possible dilution of EU standards in a current review of the automotive industry ('CARS 21') and the Czech Republic announced a forthcoming conference on Acid Deposition.

Environmental Standards

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she takes to ensure that regulatory impact assessments of new policies accurately reflect the economic effects of high environmental standards.

Elliot Morley: Since 1 April 2004 all new policies have been accompanied by a regulatory impact assessment (RIA). The RIA replaced the integrated policy appraisal (IPA). All RIAs must include an assessment of the environmental and social costs and benefits, in addition to the economic costs and benefits of a new regulation. The full RIA for all policies which affect businesses must also include an assessment of the impact on competition within UK markets.
	The majority of UK environmental legislation derives from Europe. Defra and the UK Government are promoting the Better Regulation agenda in Europe, including the use of detailed impact assessments for all policy proposals. The UK will be using its EU presidency to advance this work.

Fisheries

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2005, Official Report, column171W, on fisheries, what the weights were of the discards estimates.

Ben Bradshaw: The tonnage equivalents of the percentages given in response to the hon. Member's previous question are set out in the following table.
	
		Estimates (in tonnes) of discards for the Scottish North Sea fleet and for a representative sample of the English North Sea fleet
		
			 Species 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 England
			 Cod 1,300 1,350 635 
			 Haddock 3,709 1,073 588 
			 Whiting 7,061 2,642 4,676 
			 
			 Scotland
			 Cod 4,440 1,519 1,086 
			 Haddock 86,297 32,196 18,555 
			 Whiting 8,869 8,315 5,931

Fisheries

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make the reduction of cetacean deaths in European fisheries a priority for the UK's Presidency of the European Union.

Ben Bradshaw: The UK objectives for its Presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2005 include promoting action to protect vulnerable species and habitats with a view to the long term management of healthy fish stocks and the protection of the marine environment. We will also seek to further integrate environmental considerations into fisheries management. These objectives should provide opportunities to address cetacean deaths in fisheries.

Fisheries

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many UK fishing vessels are expected to start the deployment of pingers to prevent porpoise deaths in set net fisheries in the North Sea in June; and if she will bring forward the mandatory deployment of pingers to prevent porpoise deaths in set net fisheries in the English Channel and Celtic Sea.

Ben Bradshaw: Council Regulation (EC) no. 812/2004 requires, inter alia, pinger usage from 1 June 2005 on vessels of 12 metres and over in the North Sea (ICESdivision IV) when using bottom-set gillnets or entangling nets where the mesh size used is greater than or equal to 220 mm.
	The number of vessels that are expected to fall into this category is eight. This figure is based on those involved in the fishery in 2004 but does not take into account movements into and out of the fishery.
	The Council Regulation requires the mandatory usage of pingers in the English Channel and Celtic Sea with effect from 1 January 2006 and 1 January 2007 respectively.

Fisheries

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department is spending this year and how much was spent in each of the past three years on deployment trials to test the practicality and durability of various pinger models in gillnet and tangle net fisheries off southwest England; and when results are expected from these trials.

Ben Bradshaw: A total of over 88,000 has been committed to funding for pingers trials. This was 12,000 in 200304 provided by the Sea Fish Industry Authority and 76,000 in 200405 with 19,000 from SFIA.
	Results are expected by the end of August 2005.

Irradiated Material (Caithness)

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she plans to take to address concerns about potential health risks from irradiated material to people living near Sandside Bay, Caithness.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 14 March 2005
	This is a devolved issue concerning a site in Scotland and therefore a matter for the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA).

Nuclear Waste

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the merits of publishing the original Nirex list of potential sites' suitability for the burial of nuclear waste.

Elliot Morley: The Nirex site list information comes from a historic and abandoned programme. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) does not hold the Nirex site list information. Future policy for the long-term management of the UK's higher activity radioactive waste is currently being considered under the Managing Radioactive Waste Safety programme.

River Dove

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress of the preparation of a fluvial strategy for the River Dove.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency is undertaking a flood risk management strategy for the River Dove catchment.
	I understand that following consultation on the scoping report in April 2004, the Environment Agency undertook a preliminary strategic review (PSR) of the current flooding situation on the River Dove. This enabled further studies to focus on areas at risk of flooding and key issues.
	The PSR highlighted a number of flooding problems in the catchment as well as the potential need for a flooddefence scheme at Scopton and Hatton. It also questioned the limitations of the existing hydraulic model and surveys of the river.
	In response to this, the Environment Agency is currently undertaking an aerial survey of the river. This will enable improved modelling of the flood plain between Rochester and the confluence with the River Trent, including key tributaries. The agency expect the model to be available from August 2005. It will be used to assess the viability of catchment wide strategic solutions to the flooding problems.
	The updated hydraulic model will also be used by the Environment Agency's development control and flood warning teams in their ongoing programmes of continual improvements to their standards of service.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many sites of special scientific interest there were in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: The figures for the number of sites of special scientific interest in Shrewsbury and Atcham borough in each year since 1997 are:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 (2)25 
			 1998 26 
			 1999 26 
			 2000 28 
			 2001 28 
			 2002 28 
			 2003 28 
			 2004 28 
			 2005 28 
		
	
	(2)One more than previously reported in 2001 due to improved mapping and boundary definition.

Wildlife and Countryside Act

Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many licences have been issued under (a) section 16(1)(k) and (b) section 16(3)(h) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act1981 in each of the last 10 years.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 8 March 2005
	The number of licences issued under (a) section 16(1)(k) 1 and (b) section 16(3)(h) 2 of the Wildlife and presented in the following table.
	1 For the purposes of preventing serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, [fisheries or inland waters],
	2 For the purposes of preventing serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber or any other form of property or to fisheries.
	
		
			  (a) (b) Total 
		
		
			 2001 100 216 316 
			 2002 112 297 409 
			 2003 176 405 581 
			 2004 281 260 541 
			 2005 118 61 (3)179 
		
	
	(3)Up to 18 March
	The analysis of licences issued during the previous five years involves a disproportionate cost and has not been supplied.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Civil Contingencies

Richard Allan: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whatassistance is being provided by his Department to local authorities to enable them to carry out their duties under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 in respect of (a) local business continuity and (b) threats to telecommunications networks.

David Miliband: I have been asked to reply.
	The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 requires relevant local authorities to put in place internal business continuity plans and to provide advice and assistance to local businesses and voluntary organisations in relation to business continuity management. The Government held a public consultation on the supporting regulations and guidance between December to March, and will publish the revised package shortly.
	The National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) provides guidance to local authorities about the threats to telecommunications systems and building their resilience. The NISCC guidance enables local authorities to make informed decisions about resilience in their dealings with telecommunications service providers.

Housing

Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the 2,000 homes for key workers announced under English Partnerships' London-wide Initiative are included in the 15,000 homes being built under the First Time Buyer Initiative.

Keith Hill: Of the 2,000 affordable homes for sale to be delivered under English Partnerships London-wide Initiative pilot, 1,000 will be made available under the First Time Buyers Initiative announced in January.

Housing

Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many social rented homes have been (a) built and (b) acquired through the private finance initiative mechanism that will be expanded under Sustainable Communities: Homes for all.

Keith Hill: Through the private finance initiative (PFI) so far 51 social rented homes have been built and 150 homes have been acquired. Within the next three years the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects a further 387 social rented homes to be built through PFI schemes that reached contract signature in 2004.

Housing

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects the first property constructed under the First Time Buyers Initiative to be completed.

Keith Hill: English Partnerships are currently developing the business plan that will underpin the delivery of 15,000 homes under the First Time Buyers Initiative.
	It is envisaged that the first homes constructed under the scheme will be completed in 2006.

Housing

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will establish criteria for the First Time Buyers Initiative that ensure the homes are prioritised for key workers and others on incomes at or below the average for the region.

Keith Hill: I refer the hon. Member to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Public Service Plan 'Homes for All', presented to the House on 24 January of this year. Paragraphs 4.7 and 4.8 set out our proposals regarding decisions on eligibility criteria for the First Time Buyers Initiative. Copies of the Plan are available in the Library of the House.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers (a) regional housing boards and (b) regional chambers will have to set (i) targets and (ii) policy for the demolition of homes in their regionalstrategies.

Keith Hill: None. However it is essential that the evidence base and analysis that underpins the regional housing and spatial strategies reflect the levels of demolition needed to tackle problems of over-supply or obsolete stock.

Housing

Paul Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many council houses there were in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1997.

Keith Hill: The following information is provided from Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council's housing investment programmes as required by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (and its predecessors) for the relevant years.
	
		
			  LA housing stock as of 1 April 
		
		
			 199798 6,080 
			 199899 5,972 
			 19992000 5,843 
			 200001 5,693 
		
	
	Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council undertook a large scale voluntary transfer of its housing stock to a registered social landlord on the 1 October 2001. Therefore, figures for subsequent years are not available.

Property Conference

Mark Prisk: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what capacity he is attending the MIPIM Property Conference in Cannes on 811 March; what estimate he has made of his (a) travel costs and (b) accommodation costs for the conference; and which officials will accompany him.

Yvette Cooper: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister attended the MIPIM Property Conference to engage some of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's most important stakeholders in helping to create sustainable communities, and deliver affordable housing.
	Since 1999 the Government have published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Information for 200405 will be published in due course.

Social Housing

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will list those local authorities which have undertaken (a) arm's length management organisation, (b) large scale voluntary transfer and (c) private finance initiative programmes with regard to their social housing provision;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of local authorities have not yet chosen their preferred route for meeting the Decent Homes Standard; and if he will list them;
	(3)  which local authorities are still undertaking Options Appraisals.

Keith Hill: Lists have been made available in the Library of the House that show which authorities have chosen an arms length management organisation (ALMO), stock transfer, a private finance initiative (PFI) scheme, or retention, with regard to their social housing provision. Not all of these authorities have implemented their chosen option yet, or are on an approved programme
	135 authorities are yet to have their options appraisal, determining their preferred route for meeting the decent homes standard, signed off. A list of these authorities has also been made available in the Library of the House.
	Some authorities appear in more than one list as they have chosen multiple solutions for their stock.

Social Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his recent decision to relax performance requirements for housing associations for access to gap funding will affect the applications from (a) Tower Hamlets and (b) North East Lincolnshire.

Keith Hill: The change will not affect applications for gap funding from North East Lincolnshire and Tower Hamlets. A gap funding agreement has been signed with Shoreline Housing Partnership in respect of the housing transferring from North East Lincolnshire council. Discussions will take place with housing associations who have sought gap funding to support the transfer of housing from the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

Social Housing

Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many of the new social rented homes that will be delivered through the expanded private finance initiative by 200708 will be provided in each Government Office region.

Keith Hill: The 2004 Spending Review allocated 1.22billion private finance initiative (PFI) credits to the Housing PFI programme. As yet the Office of theDeputy Prime Minister does not know where the provision of new social rented homes will be in the regions. The assessment of bids for the SR04 allocation is still underway but an announcement on the outcome is scheduled in spring 2005.

Social Housing

Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of social rented homes which will be built in 200405 with the proportion of capital receipts from Right to Buy sales retained by local authorities.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not keep information on the use to which the proportion of capital receipts from Right to Buy sales retained by local authorities is put. Local authorities may use these receipts for any capital purpose they see fit.

Social Housing

Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his decision to withdraw support from the private finance initiative scheme to bring part of the council housing stock in the London borough of Camden up to the Decent Homes Standard.

Keith Hill: The reasons for the decision was a lack of confidence that there was effective management of costs or timetable and that the project did not represent value for money. The evidence was:
	substantial overrun in the procurement timetable
	four-fold increase in the funding requirement (119 million in PFI credits in 2005 up from 30 million in 2000)
	a large part of the negotiations were with a single bidder
	the possibility of further cost increases contract signature.
	The project still has an allocation of 55 million PFI funding available.
	Officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are working with Camden on the way forward.

Social Housing

Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the costs incurred by (a) the London borough of Camden and (b) his Department in the four years of preparatory development work on the Decent Homes Standard private finance initiative in that authority.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made no estimate of these costs. The London borough of Camden estimated that it had spent 1.6 million on preparing for the housing private finance initiative (PFI) scheme for the Chalcots Estate in its press release on 23 February this year. We do not apportion costs to individual PFI casework.

Social Housing

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 26 January 2005, Official Report, column 433W, on council housing, how much of the 2,687 million generated from the sale of council housing in those areas in 200304 with-debt local authorities (a) were required to set aside and (b) were allowed to use.

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not hold information on the value of housing capital receipts set-aside in 200304 as a result of Right To Buy disposals.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Auditors

John Hayes: To ask the Solicitor-General what assessment she has made of the implications for UK audit practices of European Court of Justice Case C-255/01, reference OJ C300 vol 47 of 4 December 2004, with particular reference to equivalence of professional qualifications for professional auditors dealing with European Community funds.

Harriet Harman: The Department of Trade and Industry has taken up the issues raised by the case with the European Commission in the context of the new proposed 8th Company Law Directive on Statutory Audit of Annual Accounts and Consolidated Accounts. It hopes to resolve these issues, which could potentially affect a small number of auditors in the UK and from other EU member states, in this context.

Crown Prosecution Service

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Solicitor-General how many complaints were received by her Department about decisions of the Crown Prosecution Service in 2004.

Harriet Harman: The Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers established a correspondence unit on 1November 2004 to handle the large amount of correspondence it receives.
	It is not possible to ascertain with any degree of accuracy what proportion of the correspondence received relates to complaints about CPS decisions. Individual files would have to be checked for content which would incur disproportionate costs.

Crown Prosecution Service

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Solicitor-General what records are kept of the proportion of cases submitted by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service that are deemed not to have a realistic prospect of successful prosecution.

Harriet Harman: Since April 2004, the Crown Prosecution Service has recorded, for each case subject to a pre-charge decision in which the final decision was not to prosecute, the reason for that decision. Table 1 shows this information for the period April-December 2004, divided into evidential reasons and public interest reasons, together with the more exact reason allocated within each of these general categories.
	Similarly, the Crown Prosecution Service records the reason for its decision to drop prosecutions after a defendant has been charged. This information is shown at Table 2, which covers the period January-December 2004. As well as cases in which either evidential or public interest reasons weighed against a prosecution, Table 2 also shows the number of cases in which a prosecution could not proceed, for example because the victim retracted or refused to give evidence, and a number of other reasons.
	On both tables cases deemed not to have a realistic prospect of conviction are those shown under evidential reasons.
	
		Table 1: Reasons for no prosecution 2004
		
			  Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Evidential reasons   
			 Key witness does not support case 1,545 1.5 
			 Unreliable/lack of identification 5,424 5.3 
			 Inadmissible evidenceBreach of PACE 462 0.5 
			 Inadmissible evidenceother than Breach of  PACE 704 0.7 
			 Unreliable confession 256 0.2 
			 Conflict of evidence 18,321 17.8 
			 Essential medical evidence missing 617 0.6 
			 Essential forensic evidence missing 1,442 1.4 
			 Essential legal element missing 44,275 43.1 
			 Unreliable witness or witnesses 7,345 7.2 
			 Key victim does not support case 5,100 5.0 
			 Total evidential reasons 85,491 83.3 
			
			 Public interest reasons   
			 Effect on victim's physical or mental health 425 0.4 
			 Defendant elderly or in significant ill health 417 0.4 
			 Loss or harm minor and single incident 2,098 2.0 
			 Loss or harm put right 572 0.6 
			 Long delay between offence/charge or trial 748 0.7 
			 Very small or nominal penalty 2,263 2.2 
			 Other indictment/sentence 1,748 1.7 
			 Informer or other public interest immunity issues 368 0.4 
			 Caution more suitable 6,793 6.6 
			 Youth of offender 1,717 1.7 
			 Total public interest reasons 17,149 16.7 
			
			 Total reasons for no prosecution 102,640  
		
	
	
		Table 2: Reasons CPS dropped prosecution: 2004
		
			  Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Evidential reasons   
			 Key witness does not support case 1,331 0.6 
			 Unreliable/lack of identification 7,208 3.4 
			 Inadmissible evidenceBreach of PACE 405 0.2 
			 Inadmissible evidenceother than Breach of  PACE 1,267 0.6 
			 Unreliable confession 154 0.1 
			 Conflict of evidence 6,488 3.0 
			 Essential medical evidence missing 527 0.2 
			 Essential forensic evidence missing 1,444 0.7 
			 Essential legal element missing 30,312 14.1 
			 Unreliable witness or witnesses 3,695 1.7 
			 Key victim does not support case 3,696 1.7 
			 Total evidential reasons 56,527 26.3 
			
			 Public interest reasons   
			 Effect on victim's physical or mental health 481 0.2 
			 Defendant elderly or in significant ill health 1,287 0.6 
			 Loss or harm minor and single incident 576 0.3 
			 Loss or harm put right 1,162 0.5 
			 Long delay between offence/charge or trial 2,587 1.2 
			 Very small or nominal penalty 3,114 1.4 
			 Other indictment/sentence 9,046 4.2 
			 Informer or other public interest immunity issues 1,852 0.9 
			 Caution more suitable 5,286 2.5 
			 Youth of offender 159 0.1 
			 Total public interest reasons 25,550 11.9 
			
			 Prosecution could not proceed   
			 Administrative finalisation 50,502 23.5 
			 File not received from policeadjournment  refused 2,096 1.0 
			 CPS not readyadjournment refused 1,780 0.8 
			 Offence taken into consideration 559 0.3 
			 Victim refuses to give evidence or retracts 10,994 5.1 
			 Other witness refuses to give evidence or retracts 1,370 0.6 
			 Victim fails to attend unexpectedly 4,479 2.1 
			 Other civilian witness fails to attend unexpectedly 1,719 0.8 
			 Police witness fails to attend unexpectedly 1,389 0.6 
			 Victim intimidation 28 0.0 
			 Other civilian witness intimidation 41 0.0 
			 Documents produced at court 9,629 4.5 
			 Total prosecution could not proceed 84,586 39.3 
			
			 Other reasons   
			 Bind over acceptable 17,240 8.0 
			 Other 31,231 14.5 
			 Total other reasons 48,471 22.5 
			
			 Total reasons for prosecution dropped 215,134

Freedom of Information

Llew Smith: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will list the (a) documents and (b) other written material released to date by her Department under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and what categories of information her Office has refused to release.

Harriet Harman: To date my Department has released the following documents:
	(1) In relation to my noble and learned Friend the Attorney-General's advice on the legality of the use of force against Iraq:
	(a) A letter from me to Graham Allen MP, 25 October 2002;
	(b) A letter from the Prime Minister to Charles Kennedy MP, 14 March 2003;
	(c) A letter dated 14 March 2003 from the Legal Secretary to the Law Officers to the Prime Minister's Private Secretary;
	(d) A letter dated 15 March 2003 from the Prime Minister's Private Secretary to the Legal Secretary to the Law Officers;
	(e) A letter dated 21 March 2003 from a judge at the Manchester Crown court;
	(f) A letter dated 15 April 2003 sent on behalf of the Attorney-General to the Crown court judge;
	(g) A letter dated 16 April 2003 from the Crown court judge;
	(h) A letter dated 9 May 2003 from Lord Alexander QC;
	(i) A letter dated 21 May 2003 in reply to Lord Alexander;
	(j) A letter from the Attorney-General to David Hughes, 29 July 2003;
	(k) A letter from me to Tam Dalyell MP, 27 August 2003;
	(l) A letter from the Attorney-General to Graham Allen MP, 29 August 2003;
	(m) A letter from the Attorney-General to Graham Allen MP, 3 November 2003;
	(n) A letter from the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers to the PS/Foreign Secretary, 4 November 2003;
	(o) A letter from Baroness Symons to Baroness Williams, 15 November 2004;
	(p) A letter from the Attorney-General to Benedict Birnberg, 14 December 2004
	(q) A statement by the Attorney-General of 25 February 2005 on the process leading up to the Attorney-General's written answer to Parliament on 17 March 2003;
	(2) In relation to the Attorney's appearance before the Butler Review:
	(a) An extract from a briefing note prepared for the Attorney-General's oral evidence session, 4 May 2004, on the resignation of Ms Elizabeth Wilmshurst from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office;
	(b) An extract from a document entitled Key Extracts from Butler Report to Draw On (undated), on the same subject;
	(c) A note submitted to the Review entitled Procedures for the Provision of Law Officers' Advice to the Government;
	(3) A paper setting out my noble and learned Friend the Attorney-General's Ministerial Superintendence of the Army Prosecuting Authority;
	(4) An extract from the minutes of a meeting of the Attorney-General with the Serious Fraud Office;
	56).
	My Office has not released information which we have judged exempt from disclosure under the Act, notably but not exclusively in relation to Sections 23 (information supplied by or related to bodies dealing with security matters), 27 (international relations), 35(formulation or development of Government policy, including the specific exemption at Section 33(1)(c) for Law Officers' advice) and 42 (legal professional privilege).

HOME DEPARTMENT

Airguns

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) injuries and (b) deaths have been reported as a direct result of airgun incidents in each of the last eight years.

Caroline Flint: Statistics on the number of crimes recorded by the police in which an air weapon was reported to have caused injury are contained in Table2.06 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin 02/05 'Crime in England and Wales 200304: Supplementary Volume 1: Homicide and Gun Crime'. Table 2b of that publication gives the available statistics on fatal injuries reported to have been caused by an air weapon. Copies of this publication are available in the Library and it is also available on the Home Office website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hosb0205.pdf

Civil Servants

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants worked at (a) Prison Service headquarters, (b) Probation headquarters and (c) National Offender Management Service headquarters on 31 December 2004; what the estimated numbers are for 31 December 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The new National Offender Management Service (NOMS) headquarters, alongside the National Probation Directorate and the Prison Service headquarters, is being redesigned. Comparable information on staff numbers across all three headquarters on 31 December 2004 is not available; but on 22 November 2004 there were 641 full-time equivalent posts in NOMS headquarters, 2,250 in Prison Service headquarters, and 305 in the National Probation Directorate. The number of civil servants within each total is not separately identified.
	A proposal, including the allocation of staff to directorates, has been put forward to staff and trade unions for their comments.
	The new headquarters is being planned for April 2005, and I will write to my hon. and learned Friend once the design of the new headquarters has been agreed.

National Offender Management Service

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what functions within the National Offender Management Service were not previously carried out by either the prison or probation services; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has been established within the existing legislative framework of the Prison and Probation Services. While NOMS has no new statutory functions, a provision in the recently published Management of Offenders and Sentencing Bill will establish sentence planning and review as a core offender management function.

National Offender Management Service

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff working for theNational Offender Management Services (NOMS) are situated at (a) NOMS headquarters, (b) Prison Service headquarters and (c) Probation Service headquarters.

Paul Goggins: The Prison Service headquarters and the National Probation Directorate both form parts of the National Offender Management Service.
	The new National Offender Management Service headquarters, alongside the Prison Service and Probation Service headquarters, is being redesigned. A proposal, including the allocation of staff to Directorates, has been put forward to staff and trade unions for their comments. The new headquarters is being planned for April 2005 and I will write to the hon. Member once the design of the new headquarters has been agreed.

National Offender Management Service

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff have been transferred from (a) Her Majesty's Prison Service and (b) the Probation Service to the National Offender Management Service.

Paul Goggins: The new National Offender Management Service (NOMS) headquarters, alongside the Prison Service and Probation Service headquarters, is being redesigned. A proposal, including the allocation of staff to directorates, has been put forward to staff and trade unions for their comments. The new headquarters is being planned for April 2005.
	It is intended to effect formal staff transfers from the Prison Service and from the National Probation Directorate into NOMS headquarters on 31 March. Iwill write to the hon. Member once the design of the new headquarters has been agreed.

National Offender Management Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff based at (a) Prison Service and (b) Probation Service Headquarters work for the National Offender Management Service.

Paul Goggins: The Prison Service headquarters and the National Probation Directorate both form parts of the National Offender Management Service.
	The new National Offender Management Service headquarters, alongside the Prison Service and Probation Service headquarters, is being redesigned. A proposal, including the allocation of staff to Directorates, has been put forward to staff and trade unions for their comments. The new headquarters is being planned for April 2005 and I will write to my hon. Friend once the design of the new headquarters has been agreed.

National Offender Management Service

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for developing the responsibilities of regional offender managers under theNational Offender Management Service; and what the timetable is for that development.

Paul Goggins: Regional Offender Managers (ROMs) will be key figures in the line of accountability running from those actually managing offenders to the National Offender Manager. They will have a crucial role to play in commissioning services needed to reduce re-offending.
	ROMs are already working with local probation boards in establishing the offender management model for community sentences and overseeing the separation of offender management and interventions within probation areas. Budgets for 200607 for offender management in probation areas will be agreed by the ROMs; budgets for 200607 for public sector intervention services in probation areas will be agreed by the director of probation and the ROMs; budget allocation for prisons for 200607 within each NOMS region will be agreed by the director general of prisons and the ROMs. The ROMs are working with a range of stakeholders to put in place regional reducing re-offending strategies during 2005

National Offender Management Service

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what administrative support there will be for regional offender managers in each regional area under the National Offender Management Service structure.

Paul Goggins: The Regional Offender Managers will initially have two staff to provide administrative support. As their role and responsibilities grow, the staffing requirements will be reviewed.

National Offender Management Service

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effects of the introduction of the National Offender Management Service on (a) the level of centralised control, (b) community engagement and (c) accountability in the Probation Service.

Paul Goggins: The establishment of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) now provides clear leadership and accountability for the performance of all the correctional services and for reducing re-offending. The effectiveness of the service will depend upon relationships between NOMS and its various partners at the local, regional and national level. This is a key feature of the feasibility work currently under way on organisational models for NOMS.
	In addition, the creation of NOMS offers a unique opportunity to sustain and expand existing community sector work with offenders. A draft strategy The Role of the Voluntary and Community Sector in the National Offender Management Service has recently been published for consultation and is available on the Home Office website.

National Offender Management Service

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  where each regional offender manager will be based; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what work has been undertaken to identify possible office sites for each of the regional offender managers; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: It is intended that the offices for the Regional Offender Managers will provide the best possible access for their region, and deliver best value for money. They may be co-located with other parts of the National Offender Management Service, other government offices or at new locations.

National Offender Management Service

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated annual cost is for the operation of the Office of the National Offender Manager; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The budget for the Office of the National Offender Manager (not including the budgets for the Regional Offender Managers) for 200506 is yet to be finalised but the indicative budget for 200506 has been set at 0.214 million resource.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 8 December 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. Ayesha Siddiqui.

Charles Clarke: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 3 February 2005, Official Report, column 1008W.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  when he will reply to the letter dated 17 November from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. Thembelani Chinyoka;
	(2)  when he will reply to the letter dated 17 November 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mrs. Thembelani Chinyoka.

Charles Clarke: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 1 February 2005, Official Report, columns 82223W.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 1 November from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Lily Beverley.

Charles Clarke: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 1 February 2005, Official Report, columns 82223W.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 6 December 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mrs. Sama Manzoor Ahmed.

Charles Clarke: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 1 February 2005, Official Report, column 823W.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 30 December 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Dwight Swanson.

Charles Clarke: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 85W.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in enabling the Criminal Cases Review Commission (a) to obtain documents and information from abroad and (b) to interview witnesses overseas.

Paul Goggins: This issue has been considered, but there is currently no statutory basis on which the Criminal Cases Review Commission can request evidence from overseas. Legislation would therefore be required.

Cycling

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 1 March 2004, Official Report, column 1098W, on cycling, if he will make it his policy to record centrally how many cyclists involved in road accidents were reported as cycling without lights.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	Personal injury road accident data in Great Britain are collected by the police and reported to the Department for Transport using the STATS 19 accident report format. From the 1 January 2005 the police were asked to record contributory factors to road accidents as part of the STATS 19 form. Among the factors included are Impairment or DistractionNot displaying lights at night or in poor visibility and Impairment or DistractionCyclist wearing dark clothing at night. The contributory factor data will become available in the summer of 2006.

Dangerous Driving

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make available the resources needed to implement the Government's policy of increasing the maximum penalty for dangerous driving from two to five years' imprisonment.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 17 March 2005
	The Government have a commitment arising from theReview of Road Traffic Penalties to increase the maximum penalty for dangerous driving.
	It is our intention to implement this measure as part of a package of measures arising from the Consultation on the Review of Road Traffic Offences involving Bad Driving. This Consultation paper was published on 3 February and the consultation exercise will close on 6 May.
	The funding for, and implementation of, this package will be agreed once the assessment of the consultation has been completed later this year.

Departmental Contracts

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts in his Department have been granted to (a) EDS, (b) Fujitsu and (c) EDS and Fujitsu jointly in each of the last two years; whether they were open to competition; for what they were granted; for how much, and over what period of time; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: (a) The Home Office has not awarded any contracts to EDS in the financial years 200203, 200304 or 2004-YTD.
	(b) Information held by the Home Office on contracts awarded to Fujitsu in the financial years 200203, 200304 and 2004-YTD is as follows:
	NCIS awarded two consultancy contracts to Fujitsu following a competitive tender exercise under the OGC S-CAT Framework Agreement. Details are as follows:
	April 2002-September 2003 Project Mercurywhich was a project to deliver the roll out of windows 2000 across NCIS. The total amount of expenditure over the period with Fujitsu for their delivery of services to the project was 597,375.
	A feasibility study for a fire arms tracking database over 200203 was commissioned but this was funded via Concerted Inter-agency Drug Action (CIDA) totalling 32,630. (three month project February 2003-April 2003)
	The Commercial Directorate placed two orders for various IT hardware via the G-CAT framework on behalf of the National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC):
	21 October 2002. Total value including VAT: 92,217.
	01 July 2003. Total value including VAT: 6,286.
	The Commercial Directorate awarded a consultancy contract for the production of Test and Validation Strategy for Mental Health Unit (MHU) Case-working Application on behalf of the Information Management and Technology Unit (IMTU). This was competed via the S-CAT framework, details are as follows:
	Purchase Order: PO4390201 Award of contract: 07 September 2004 Delivery on/by 15 September 2004
	Total value including VAT: 9,743.
	The Commercial Directorate placed an order for various IT hardware via the Suspect Index (S.I.) Supply Agreement on behalf of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND). Details are as follows:
	Purchase Order: PO5419301 Award of contract: 11 January 2005 Delivery on/by: 22 February 2005
	Total value including VAT: 675,042.
	The Prison Service awarded a contract for the provision of IT equipment and software for the Prison Service's Technical Architects Solution Centre in 200405. The total cost was 35,000 and was procured through a competition with G-Cat suppliers.
	(c) The Home office did not grant any joint contracts to EDS and Fujitsu in the financial years 200203, 200304 or 2004-YTD.

Departmental Dress Code

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's policy is on the wearing of the kirpan by Sikh employees.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 18 March 2005
	The Criminal Justice Act 1988 makes it an offence for a person in a public place to have a bladed or sharply pointed articleother than a small folding pocket knifewithout good reason. The onus is on the knife carrier to show they have a good reason for carrying it. However, the Act exempts Sikhs from criminal prosecution on the ground that the kirpan is a religious article. Article 13 of the Treaty of Amsterdam and the Human Rights Act also protect the right of individuals to follow their chosen religion.
	Sikh employees are permitted to wear the kirpan.

Drug Treatment and Testing Orders

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has commissioned on the variation in the rate of successful completion of drug treatment and testing orders between participants maintained on (a) methadone and (b) buprenorphine in (i) Somerset and (ii) England.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 17 March 2005
	Unfortunately, this information cannot be provided as there are no records held centrally relating to this research.
	However, in April 2005 The National Treatment Agency (NTA) will publish detailed information on clients in structured drug treatment during 200304. Although, not relating specifically to Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTO) this research will give an accurate overview of the completion rates of individuals who have been engaged in different types of drug treatment and will include those on DTTOs.

Drugs Crime (Leeds)

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the HomeDepartment how many drug dealers have been prosecuted in (a) Leeds and (b) Leeds West in the last 12 months; and how many of these were part of Operation Crackdown.

Caroline Flint: Data on drug offenders are collected at police force area only and are therefore not available in the format requested. The most recent Drug Offenders statistics, relating to 2003, were published on 1 March 2005 and are available on the Home Office website.
	Operation Crackdown was launched on 10 January 2005 and in this limited timeframe few of the people arrested and charged as a result of the operation will have completed their passage through the criminal justice system. Information on prosecutions following Operation Crackdown is therefore not available.

Drugs Crime (Leeds)

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug dealers from (a) Leeds and (b) Leeds West have been jailed in each of the last 10 years, broken down by type of drug; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Information on the number of offenders receiving custodial sentences for dealing offences is only available for England and Wales as a whole and not for individual constituencies. Data on trends in the number of drug dealers in England and Wales being imprisoned between 1994 and 2003 are provided in the table.
	
		Number of persons imprisoned for specified drug dealing offences in England and Wales, 1994 to 2003
		
			  Unlawful supply Possession with intent to supply 
		
		
			 1994 1,330 2,140 
			 1995 1,750 2,980 
			 1996 2,460 3,730 
			 1997 2,790 4,170 
			 1998 2,930 4,100 
			 1999 1,830 3,830 
			 2000 2,780 3,530 
			 2001 2,690 3,500 
			 2002 2,710 3,270 
			 2003 2,890 3,480 
		
	
	Source:
	Supplementary Tables of Drug Offenders in England and Wales 2003.

Escaped Prisoners

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners who absconded from Kirkham open prison in 2004 remain unlawfully at large.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 20 December 2004
	158 prisoners absconded from Kirkham open prison in 2004. Of these, 17 remain unlawfully at large.

HMP The Weare

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future of HMP The Weare.

Paul Goggins: The decision about the future of HMP The Weare was announced on 9 March.

HMP The Weare

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost of carrying out the maintenance and repairs to HM Prison Weare which would ensure it received its next certificate of seaworthiness.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 17 March 2005
	Work to refit and repaint HMP The Weare was in the existing maintenance programme and was scheduled to begin later this year. This work had been estimated to cost around 1.1 million and was due to be completed in time for the next inspection for the certificate of seaworthiness in May 2006. This work is now on hold as a result of the announcement to close HMP The Weare.

HMP The Weare

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the maintenance costs for HM Prison Weare were in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 17 March 2005
	The maintenance costs for The Weare prison since 1997 are comprised of three discrete elements; the vessel-specific facilities management contract, local maintenance allocation and other major maintenance costs. The first two can be broken down as follows:
	
		000
		
			  Facilities management Local maintenance(4) 
		
		
			 199798 (5)187 (5)129 
			 199899 (5)187 129 
			 19992000 187 129 
			 200001 192 129 
			 200102 198 129 
			 200203 219 129 
			 200304 251 129 
			 200405 257 129 
		
	
	(4)Has been increased in certain years through allocation from Prison Service area funding.
	(5)Actual figures estimated as not readily available.
	There have also been other major maintenance requirements at The Weare since 1997. These include re-painting, preservation work, a link span modification and the refit for the previous sea-worthiness certificate. In total these maintenance costs were in the order of 1 million over this period.

Adolescent Rehabilitation

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sources of Government funding other than National Offender Management Services regional funding are available for (a) the Centre for Adolescent Rehabilitation and (b) other organisations undertaking similar work in support of Government objectives.

Paul Goggins: The Centre for Adolescent Rehabilitation (C-FAR) has had central grant funding of 720,000 committed by the Home Office.
	In 2001 20,000 was provided towards the cost of evaluation. In 2002 and 2003 150,000 was provided in grant each year and in 2004 a grant of 400,000 was agreed, with 250,000 to be paid in 200405 and, a further 150,000 in 200506. C-FAR has also received funding from Supporting People, which is a central Government fund administered through the Devon county council and from housing benefit. C-FAR has also applied for or planned to apply for funding from the Learning and Skills Council (Department for Education and Skills and Jobcentre Plus (Department for Work and Pensions), the Safer and Stronger Communities Fund (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has a grant programmes for organisations working in rural areas.
	Other organisations undertaking similar work in support of Government objectives working on a regional basis would be eligible to apply for funding from most of the above sources. The exception would be NOMS central funding as organisations working at a regional or local level would normally be expected toapply for funding from the prison or probation service regionally or locally.

Persistent Offenders

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking to target persistent offenders.

Paul Goggins: The Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) Strategy is at the heart of the Government's efforts to reduce crime and disorder.
	This strategy, which was launched by the Prime Minister in March last year, looks to target not only existing prolific offenders but also those young people who are on the cusp of a prolific offending lifestyle. The strategy has three strands:
	prevent and deterto stop young people becoming prolific offenders;
	catch and convicttackling those who are already prolific offenders; and
	rehabilitate and resettleworking to increase the number of offenders who stop offending by offering a range of supportive interventions.
	This multi-agency approach to offender management built on, and replaced, the previous persistent offender scheme. Since September 2004 PRO schemes have been established across all parts of England and Wales. These schemes allow local partners, like the police, prisons and probation to concentrate their joint efforts on monitoring and rehabilitating the relatively small number of people who have been identified locally as causing most harm to their communities and to themselves.
	Over 9,000 existing prolific offenders have been identified by schemes across England and Wales. In addition, around 5,000 young people have been identified as suitable for support as part of the prevent and deter strand.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what average weekly pay was available to prisoners serving a prison sentence was in England and Wales in 200304; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: This information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportional cost. It is for Governors to set the rates of pay for their establishment, against national criteria and minimum rates of pay, in a way that reflects their regime priorities.
	These rates are set out in Prison Service Order 4460. The minimum employed rate of pay is 4 per week.

Prisons

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on recent incidents of prisoners absconding from HMP Prescoed; whether any of them were sex offenders; whether each has been recaptured; and whether any committed offences while out of prison.

Paul Goggins: Since 1 October 2004 three prisoners have absconded from Frescoed prison. One prisoner, who absconded on 6 October 2004, was a sex offender and was recaptured the next day without having committed any offences. Two prisoners absconded on 25 February 2005. Neither was a sex offender, and one has been recaptured. There is no indication that the recaptured prisoner committed any further offence.

Prisons

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of expenditure per person on lunches for prisoners being held in prisons in England in each year from 199192 to 200506; what proportion of the food utilised was UK produce in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 17 March 2005
	The following table shows the best estimated figures for daily food costs per prisoner in public sector prisons, based on average national figures. Information relating to the daily food costs in private sector prisons is not collated.
	
		
			 Financial year Average public sector prisons daily food (cost per prisoner) () Estimated public sector prisons daily lunch (cost per prisoner) (pence) 
		
		
			 199192 1.11 44 
			 199293 1.12 45 
			 199394 1.28 51 
			 199495 1.35 54 
			 199596 1.38 55 
			 199697 1.41 56 
			 199798 1.43 57 
			 199899 1.44 58 
			 19992000 1.46 58 
			 200001 1.64 66 
			 200102 1.74 70 
			 200203 1.72 69 
			 200304 1.81 72 
			 200405 1.82 73 
			 200506 (6) (6) 
		
	
	(6)Not known.
	No discrete data are held for the period in question on the proportion of food provided in prisoners' lunches that is produced in the United Kingdom. The majority of food supplied (representing a fund of 38.1 million) is purchased from centrally-arranged contracts awarded to manufacturers and distributors. It is not possible to define the proportion of UK-produced food incorporated in prisoner's lunches, as products purchased include a combination of food, raw materials and packaging.
	Key product areas included in the 38.1 million fund include frozen food and meat, fresh and UHT milk, bread, fresh salad, fruit and vegetables. Of these, 100 per cent. of eggs, bread, milk and potatoes and 80 per cent. of root crops are UK-produced.

Prisons

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the 200405 budget is for prison education; what the budgets are for each year until 200708; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 17 March 2005
	The Department for Education and Skills has a specified and non-transferable budget for offenders' learning and skills of 136 million in 200405, which rises to 152.5 million for each of the years 200506, 200607 and 200708. This covers learning and skills in prison as well as for offenders in the community.

Prisons

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what levels of drug use in prisons have been in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: The best measure of overall drug misuse in prisons in England and Wales is provided by the random mandatory drug testing (RMDT) programme. The following table sets out aggregate figures for prisoners who have tested positive under the programme in each of the last five financial years.
	
		
			  Percentage of positive readings from randomly tested prisoners 
		
		
			 19992000 14.4 
			 200001 12.2 
			 200102 11.6 
			 200203 11.7 
			 200304 12.5

Probation

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes in the role of the probation service he expects there to be by 2007.

Paul Goggins: The role of the National Probation Service is clearly reflected in the Management of Offenders and Sentencing Bill currently before Parliament, which will, for the first time, provide a formal link between the role of the probation and prison services. The Bill clearly states that the aims of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) are:
	(a) The protection of the public;
	(b) The reduction of re-offending;
	(c) The proper punishment of offenders;
	(d) Ensuring offenders' awareness of the effects of crime on victims and the public;
	(e) The rehabilitation of offenders.
	The prisons and probation services are developing the core offender management function, which will improve the management of offenders moving between custody and community supervision, and are preparing themselves for future introduction of contestability. These changes to the current role of the National Probation Service will serve to break down the current organisational barriers identified in the Cater Report between prisons and probation and therefore contribute to reductions in re-offending, which has been at the centre of the work of the National Probation Service since its creation in 2001.

Sentencing Guidelines Council

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Sentencing Guidelines Council has begun considering the establishment of mechanisms for the independent assessment of prevalence.

Paul Goggins: The Sentencing Guidelines Council has no plans to set up any mechanism for the independent assessment of prevalence. This issue would form part of the sentencing argument in each particular case taking into account the guideline on seriousness.
	That guideline states that generally the seriousness of an individual case should be judged on its own dimensions of harm and culpability rather than as part of a collective social harm. There may be exceptional local circumstances that arise which may lead a court to decide that prevalence should influence sentencing levels. But the guideline says that it is essential that sentencers both have supporting evidence from an external source (for example the local Criminal Justice Board) to justify claims that a particular crime is prevalent in their area and are satisfied that there is a compelling need to treat the offence more seriously than elsewhere. Sentencers must sentence within the guidelines once the prevalence has been addressed.

Prison Population

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is the Department's policy to seek a reduction in the prison population.

Paul Goggins: The Government have not set any target for the size of the prison population. The recently published population projections indicate that we expect the prison numbers to increase over the next five years and prison places will rise to 80,000.

Sexual Assault Referral Centres

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the numbers of sexual assault referral centres in England and Wales.

Paul Goggins: 4 million of additional funding has been identified to support services for the victims of sexual offences in 200405 and 200506.
	A portion of this money will be used to assist with the establishment of new Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) and the development of services in existing centres; this brings the total number of SARCs to 15. The areas benefiting from the funding available in this financial year was announced on Tuesday 22 February 2005.

Stop it Now! Surrey

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reintroduce funding for Stop it Now! Surrey.

Paul Goggins: The national probation directorate has been the principal funder since 200102 for the Surrey Stop It Now! helpline. The nationally agreed pilot project funding will come to an end as planned on 31 March. Stop It Now! Surrey have been advised that they should put in place alternative funding arrangements in line with other comparable local Stop It Now! projects and the recommendations of an independent evaluation by de Montfort university that they should build local strategic partnerships to further the development and funding of area based projects.
	Exceptionally, national probation directorate have advised Stop It Now! Surrey that continuation funding of more than 250,000 will continue to be available for the year 200506 to cover the costs of the national helpline service, but the Home Office is unable to provide further grant aid contribution to the local project once the pilot phase has ended.

Witness Prepartion

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how his Department monitors the methods used by witness preparation companies contracted to his Department;
	(2)  what publicly-funded pre-trial training to witnesses in court cases entails; and how his Department ensures the prevention of witness contamination;
	(3)  which witness preparation companies have contracts with his Department.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 8 March 2005
	The Home Department has no contracts with witness preparation companies to provide pre-trial training to witnesses in court cases. It does fund Victim Support's Witness Service through Grant-in-aid, but this is to provide practical and emotional support to witnesses; the Witness Service does not discuss a witness's evidence.

Witness Statements

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy (a) to allow a witness to submit the text of a witness statement to the police by e-mail and (b) to make amendments to it by e-mail prior to the witness attending a police station to sign the final document.

Paul Goggins: Section 9 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 sets out the requirements that a witness statement must fulfil in order to be admissible in court. These include that it must be signed by the maker and contain a declaration by the maker that it is true to the best of his knowledge and belief. There is no provision in the Act governing the method or means by which that written statement is arrived at. As a matter of law, therefore, there is nothing to constrain police forces from adopting a policy whereby the text of a statement could be submitted or amended by e-mail.
	Such an approach would however usually be inadvisable and inappropriate where a statement was likely to be challenged in court, which is the majority of cases. For example, a police officer may need to interview a witness in person to find out whether an offence has actually been committed and the legal elements. The process of interview also enables the officer to assess the quality of the evidence which a witness would be likely to give in court and inform the prosecutor as may be necessary. Finally, it could be difficult for the police to assess whether statements given by e-mail were influenced by pressure or intimidation exerted on a witness by the alleged offender or their associates.

Young Offenders

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the contribution of the Centre for Adolescent Rehabilitation to meeting Government targets for the reduction of reoffending rates among young adult offenders.

Paul Goggins: C-FAR offer a residential training programme for young adult male offenders. It received 520,000 in funding from the Home Office between 2002 and 2004, of which 20,000 was towards evaluation. A further 150,000 was committed to support places on the programme in 200506. 262 trainees have entered C-FAR's Life Change programme since June 2000. C-FAR estimates that about 50 per cent. have not re-offended within a two years of conviction. However, C-FAR's figures have not been substantiated by independent research.
	There have been two independent evaluations of C-FAR. The first concluded that due to low numbers of trainees it was not possible to confirm C-FAR's claim. The second was an ethnographic evaluation and the researchers did not look at rates of re-offending among the group studied.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Crosshill Quarry

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date the railway carriages were relocated within Crosshill Quarry in Crumlin, County Antrim.

Angela Smith: The Department of the Environment does not have specific dates when the 18 railway carriages were relocated within Crossbill Quarry. The contractors intended to complete this work during November and December 2003. However, I understand that, once work had commenced it was found that the weight of the waterlogged carriages required them to be cut into three sections to facilitate their movement and relocation. As a result, the work took longer than originally anticipated. Departmental staff visited the site on 13 February 2004 and recorded that the work was complete.

Crosshill Quarry

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any release of asbestos at Crosshill Quarry was notified by the site operator to (a) the Health and Safety Executive, (b) the Environment and Heritage Service and (c) Antrim borough council.

Angela Smith: The Health and Safety Executive, the Environment and Heritage Service and Antrim borough council have not been notified by the site operator of any release of asbestos at Crosshill Quarry.

Employment Support Programme

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when future funding will be available for the Employment Support Programme for people with disabilities in Northern Ireland to access supported employment.

Barry Gardiner: The Employment Support Scheme was closed to new applicants from September to December 2004. Existing participants were not affected. The Scheme re-opened to new applicants from January 2005.

Further Education Colleges

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to consult on the review of area based further education colleges in Northern Ireland.

Barry Gardiner: The position remains the same as advised in my earlier response of 17 January 2005the Department for Employment and Learning published its proposals for the future of further education in Northern Ireland in March 2004. Consultation on those proposals was completed in June 2004 and found firm support for the creation of a smaller number of area based colleges, linking the existing campuses. In taking forward these proposals the Department has commissioned further work on those aspects of the proposals that relate to the future size and structure of the FE sector. The outcome of this further work will be presented to a steering group comprised of representatives of further education colleges. In the light of the above I will be considering how best to engage with the local representatives on how the proposed changes may be best implemented.

Grammar Schools

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce measures similar to those adopted in England to allow parents of pupils attending primary schools which are feeder schools of a local grammar school to vote on whether they wish the principle of academic selection for admission to the grammar school to be retained.

Barry Gardiner: There are no plans to introduce similar measures.
	After 200809, the current system of academic selection at age 11 will be replaced by a system of informed parental and pupil choice. Grammar schools will continue to exist and to offer an academic curricular emphasis.

National Assets

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2005, Official Report, columns 100002W, on national assets, what his estimate is of the net receipts that each department will gain from the disposal of assets in each of the next three financial years.

Ian Pearson: The following table provides a current estimate of the net receipts that the Northern Ireland Office and the 11 Northern Ireland Departments will gain from the disposal of assets in each of the next three financial years.
	
		000
		
			  Financial year 
			 Department 200506 200607 200708 
		
		
			 NIO 3,600 
			 DARD 1,223 70  
			 DCAL 13   
			 DE 8 
			 DEL   1,000 
			 DETI
			 DFP 220 1,901  
			 DHSSPS 3,015 6,820 430 
			 DOE
			 DRD
			 DSD
			 OFMDFM (7)   
		
	
	(7)It is proposed that the former Royal Irish Regiment base in Magherafelt will be disposed of within the public sector hence no receipts will be generated.
	I regret that in my previous answer, the number of vehicles recorded for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development was incorrect. The Department intends to dispose of four vehicles in total (one Landrover and three Renault vans) and not eight as previously shown.

Primary/Secondary Education

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of post-primary schools in Northern Ireland which are capable of meeting the proposed Entitlement Framework set out in the Costello Report.

Barry Gardiner: It is not the intention that individual schools should offer access to the full Entitlement Framework entirely on their own, though a few may be capable of doing so. Rather, schools will need to develop arrangements to collaborate with other schools and with the Further Education sector so as to provide enhanced choice. The Entitlement Framework will be introduced on a phased basis to allow schools time to develop the necessary collaboration.

Primary/Secondary Education

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost was of producing the Costello Report on post-primary education in Northern Ireland.

Barry Gardiner: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Strangford (Mrs. Robinson) on 22 February 2005, Official Report, column 577W.

Primary/Secondary Education

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why primary school profiles currently being tested in the Province exclude academic ability and potential.

Barry Gardiner: A Pupil Profile will be completed each year for each child throughout their primary and post-primary education, replacing the current Annual Pupil Report. It will provide clear and objective information about a pupil's progress and achievements across a range of curricular areas, including Literacy, Numeracy and ICT, an assessment of their attitude to learning, their aptitude for learning and their particular interests, and indicate areas for development and future learning. The information in the Pupil Profile will be based on ongoing teacher assessment, which will be moderated within and across schools.

Primary/Secondary Education

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will reintroduce performance league tables for the secondary school sector in the Province.

Barry Gardiner: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 7 February 2005, Official Report, column 1300W.

Primary/Secondary Education

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what name will be used to describe grammar schools after the end of academic selection between the primary and secondary sector in the Province.

Barry Gardiner: There are no plans to change the terminology applied to grammar schools after academic selection ends in Northern Ireland.

Primary/Secondary Education

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost is to date of the (a) Burns Report and (b) Costello Report and what the cost is of accompanying consultation exercises linked to each report.

Barry Gardiner: The Post-primary Review was completed on 26 January 2004 when the Government announced it had accepted and was implementing the recommendations of the Post-primary Review Working Group (the Costello Report). Arising from that Report, a public consultation on new admissions arrangements and criteria is under way.
	The costs to date are as follows:
	(a) 830,000 on research, the Post-Primary Review Body costs and the publication of the Burns Report;
	(b) 419,000 on consultation about the recommendations of the Burns Report; and
	(c) 215,000 on the Post-primary Review Working Group and the publication and distribution of the Costello Report.
	(d) 25,000 (to date) on consultation about new admissions arrangements and criteria arising from the recommendations of the Costello Report.

Primary/Secondary Education

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons the present consultation process on admissions criteria between primary and secondary schools is restricted to parents who have access to a computer.

Barry Gardiner: This is not the case. A paper copy of the Consultation Document on New Admissions Arrangements and the Response Booklet is available by contacting the Department by telephone, in writing, byfax and by e-mail. The document can also be viewed and downloaded from the Department of Education website, and responses to the consultation can be made on-line. Over 17,000 copies of the Consultation Document have been issued to the main education interests including schools, churches, political parties, community and voluntary groups and, on request, parents.
	All schools were sent leaflets to pass to parents of school-age children to provide details of the consultation and how they can respond. Advertisements were placed in the three main newspapers (Belfast Telegraph, News Letter, Irish News) giving details of the consultation and the different ways in which people can obtain a copy.
	The Department is encouraging everyone to consider carefully the issues raised in the Consultation Document and to respond to this important issue.

Smoking

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the merits of extending beyond 25 March the consultation period on proposals to ban smoking in enclosed public places.

Angela Smith: Three months is the standard period for a public consultation. There are no plans to extend the period beyond 25 March 2005.

Smoking

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons the consultation period on proposals to ban smoking in enclosed public places was limited to three months.

Angela Smith: The three month consultation on the proposals to ban smoking in enclosed public places is the standard period for a consultation as set out in the 'Guide to Consultation Methods for Northern Ireland Public Authorities.'

Surplus Assets Sales

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether his Department sold any surplus stockon the eBay auction website, in each year since 200001.

Paul Murphy: There were no items of surplus stock, belonging to the Northern Ireland Office (excluding its Agencies and NDPBs), sold on the eBay auction website in each year since 200001.

University Admissions

Brian Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of school leavers in Northern Ireland entered higher education in (a) 1997 and (b) 2004, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Barry Gardiner: Figures for 2003/04 are not yet available. The most recent available figures are for 2001/02 school leavers.
	
		
			  Proportion of school leavers  entering institutions of higher  education 
			 Parliamentary constituency 1997 2002 
		
		
			 Belfast East 28.7 35.1 
			 Belfast North 18.3 23.6 
			 Belfast South 37.6 44.1 
			 Belfast West 15.5 22.0 
			 East Antrim 27.4 34.7 
			 East Londonderry 29.4 32.9 
			 Fernamagh and south Tyrone 33.1 43.2 
			 Foyle 27.3 34.1 
			 Lagan Valley 31.2 40.0 
			 Mid Ulster 31.1 35.5 
			 Newry and Armagh 24.9 34.1 
			 North Antrim 27.8 34.1 
			 North Down 38.7 42.1 
			 South Antrim 28.4 33.9 
			 South Down 24.6 35.1 
			 Strangford 31.1 35.3 
			 Upper Bann 28.5 34.1 
			 West Tyrne 29.1 40.6

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Avient

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry with regard to the recent statement by the National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines on Avient, what assessment she has made of what is covered by the term military company.

Douglas Alexander: The core business of Avient is cargo transport and logistics, in the context of the UN report, predominantly mining equipment. The NCP has seen no evidence that Avient supplied arms of any description.

Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan Pipeline

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many breaches of World Bank guidelines by the monitoring consultants for the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline during implementation have been identified and reported to her Department.

Douglas Alexander: The independent environmental consultant to the lender group (D'Appolonia) has identified four significant breaches of project standards. These were all rectified by BTC Co. within a reasonable period as required and defined by the project's Social Action Plan and the Export Credits Guarantee Department loan agreement.

Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan Pipeline

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many incidents of land being used outside the 28-metre Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline corridor have been reported to her;
	(2)  whether the use of unexpropriated land outside the 28-metre corridor in relation to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project constitutes a breach of loan agreements.

Douglas Alexander: The use of unexpropriated land outside the 28-metre pipeline corridor would represent a breach of the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) loan agreement for the project, if it were considered to have a material effect on the project. Breaches not rectified within a reasonable period, in accordance with the project's Environment and Social Action Plan and the ECGD loan agreement, would constitute an incident for which an event of default could be called.
	In its second site visit report (June-July 2004) the lender group's independent environmental consultant, D'Appolonia, reported that there had been unplanned use of land outside of the 28 metre pipeline corridor in Turkey on an unspecified number of occasions. However, these breaches of ECGD's loan agreement were rectified within the required period.

Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan Pipeline

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what requirements she places on project sponsors to provide her with relevant reports on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project.

Douglas Alexander: BTC Co. is required, in line with project documentation, to provide the lending group with the following reports:
	monthly construction and operating reports;
	financial statements;
	shareholder communications;
	budgets; and
	cash flows.
	The lender group's independent consultants also provide reports on the technical aspects of the project.

Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan Pipeline

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports she has received regarding compliance by (a) BOTAS and (b) its subcontractors with appropriate standards on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.

Douglas Alexander: The lenders to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project, including the Export Credits Guarantee Department, received reports from WorleyParsons, (the lender group's independent engineering consultant), and D'Appolonia (the independent environmental consultant) during the construction of the pipeline. These reports highlight any concerns regarding compliance by any of the BTC contractors and subcontractors with the appropriate standards.

Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan Pipeline

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether BP has informed her of the concerns raised by its operations department with regard to certifying the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline as fit for purpose.

Douglas Alexander: The Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) has not been informed by BP or BTC Co. of any concerns raised by BP's operations department. The lender group's independent technical consultant (WorleyParsons) has also advised that it has not seen any information to suggest that BP's operations department has such concerns.

Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan Pipeline

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she was first informed that the cathodic protection system used on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline was vulnerable to being rendered inoperative by coating corrosion.

Douglas Alexander: It is the Export Credits Guarantee Department's understanding that the pipeline coating protects the underlying metal pipe from the surrounding corrosive environment and it will not itself corrode.

Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan Pipeline

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  whether she has monitored the expropriation of land for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project in Turkey using emergency powers under Article27 of the Turkish Expropriation Law;
	(2)  what monitoring she has undertaken of compliance by BTC with the agreed resettlement action plan for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project.

Douglas Alexander: A Social and Resettlement Action Plan (SRAP) Monitoring Panel, made up of international resettlement and social development experts, has been monitoring the implementation of the Resettlement Action Plan including the expropriation of land for the project. The SRAP panel's reports are sent to the lender group and are also published on the project website at: www.caspiandevelopmentandexport.com

Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan Pipeline

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she was first informed by the Export Credits Guarantee Department that SPC 2888, proposed to be used on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, had not previously been used on a pipeline with polyethylene coating.

Douglas Alexander: ECGD informed the then Minister for Trade's office on 8 July 2004 that SPC 2888 had not previously been used on a pipeline with polyethylene coating.

BNFL (Prosecutions)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many prosecutions of BNFL have occurred since 1 May 1997 excluding ongoing cases; on what date; and for what offence.

Mike O'Brien: BNFL has been subject to the following prosecutions since 1 May 1997.
	
		
			 Date of hearing Offences 
		
		
			 26 September 1997 Discharge of Caustic Soda into River Calder at Sellafield 
			  Water Resources Act 1991 sections 85 (i) and 85 (vi) 
			  Environmental Protection Act 1990 sections 6 (i), 23 (i) and 23 (ii) 
			  Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 section 4 (i) Authorisation Number AS5601 Conditions 1.1 and 1.4 
			   
			 2 September 1998 Solvent release into River Ribble at Springfields 
			  Failure to comply with Condition 1.4 Integrated Pollution Control Authorisation AS4494 
			  Failure to comply with Condition 3.2 of the said authorisation 
			   
			 2 June 2000 Nitric Acid Spill at Sellafield 
			  Health and Safety at Work Act 1974section 2(1) and 33(1)(a) 
			   
			 20 September 2000 Breach of Site Discharge Authorisation at Chapelcross 
			  Radioactive Substances Act 
			   
			 5 October 2000 Failing to comply with Improvement Notice (s33 HSWA) 
			  Failing to leak test radioactive source (Reg. 27 IRR '99) 
			  Failing to account for radioactive sources 2 (Reg. 28 IRR '99) 
			   
			 5 April 2001 Failing to register as a user of Mobile Radioactive Apparatus (s9 RSA '93)BNFL Sellafield 
			  Failure to register radioactive material (sources) (s6 RSA '93) at Barrow Marine Terminal 
			   
			 6 March 2002 Contamination eventSellafield 
			  Regulation 8, Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999 
			  Regulation 7, Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999 
			  Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (section 3 (1), section 33 (1)(a) and section 33 (1a) 
			   
			 29 March 2003 Arm injury to employeeSellafield 
			  Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 sections 33 (1)(a) and 33 (1a) 
			   
			 30 January 2004 Dive Boat IncidentSellafield 
			  Health and Safety at Work Act 1974section 2 
			   
			 27 May 2004 Calder Hallunsuitable floor 
			  Regulation 12(1) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 
			  Section 33(1)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Business Closures (Shrewsbury and Atcham)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses have ceased trading in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1997.

Nigel Griffiths: DTI figures based solely on VAT de-registrations for Shrewsbury and Atcham local authority are shown as follows for 1997 to 2003.
	
		VAT de-registrations
		
			  Shrewsbury and Atcham 
		
		
			 1997 230 
			 1998 225 
			 1999 220 
			 2000 245 
			 2001 205 
			 2002 220 
			 2003 240 
		
	
	Source:
	VAT Registrations and De-registrations 19942003, Small Business Service, available from: http://www.sbs.gov.uk/analytical/statistics/vatstats.php
	Data for 2004 will be available in autumn 2005.

Construction Industry

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent studies her Department has made of the use of agency labour within the construction industry.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has undertaken no recent studies of the use of agency labour within the construction industry. However, employment agencies and employment businesses that supply labour to the construction industry are covered by the provisions of the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and associated legislation. The DTI's Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate is responsible for enforcing the legislation and in the course of normal business inspects a wide variety of employment agencies and businesses, including a number that supply workers to the construction industry.

Data Protection

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidance her Department is offering to (a) banks and (b) the Post Office to encourage greater scrutiny of applications for bank accounts and post office box numbers to prevent their use by bogus data production agencies.

Christopher Leslie: I have been asked to reply.
	My Department does not publish any guidance to this end. The number of operational bogus data protection agencies has diminished very considerably following the actions of the Information Commissioner with the Police, the Office of Fair Trading, and Trading Standards Departments throughout the country, and most have been closed down. Banks and Post Offices can access the information on bogus data protection agencies posted on the Information Commissioner's website, should they receive an application for a bank account or box number from a company offering data protection notification services as their business activity.

Energy Act

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether lawyers (a) from and (b) contracted to work for her Department have made an assessment of the compatibility of the Energy Act 2004 with European Directive 2001/77/EC article 7.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 21 March 2005
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is content that the Energy Act 2004 is compatible with article 7 of European Directive 2001/77/EC.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Advisory Committee on opening up public contracts met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The Advisory Committee on opening up public contracts met as follows:
	(a) under the Italian presidency on 9 October and 16 December 2003;
	(b) under the Irish presidency on 3 March 2004; and
	(c) under the Dutch presidency on 6 July and 28 October 2004.
	In each case the meetings were held in Brussels and were attended by UK Government officials.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Committee for the development of the internal market in postal services and the improvement of the quality service met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The EU Postal Directive Committee meets twice a year in Brussels: and had its sixth meeting on 8 December 2004. A representative from the DTI or the Postal Services Commission (Postcomm) attends the meetings. In addition, the Consumer Council for Postal Services (Postwatch) made a presentation to the Committee on 1 July 2004 on the treatment of complaints concerning cross-border mail services.

EU Markets (Third World Access)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what recent discussions she has had with European Union counterparts on improving (a) trade with and (b) access to EU markets for Third World countries; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent discussions she has had with the Governments of Third World countries about improving access to EU markets; and if she will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The Government are committed to securing an ambitious outcome to the Doha Development Agenda, including increasing market access for developing country exports/Ministers and officials regularly discuss the ongoing negotiations with their opposite numbers around the world.
	In addition, the European Union is currently developing its Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), which gives preferential access for developing countries to the EU market, for the period 200608. The UK has discussed the Commission's proposals for the new scheme with other member states on a regular basis, and with a number of developing country interlocutors.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions since 5 November 2004 (a) the Export Credits Guarantee Department has accepted an applicant's request not to provide the name and address of an agent when proceeding with an application and (b) applicants have asked the ECGD to proceed with an application without providing the name and address of an agent or intermediary.

Douglas Alexander: The information is as follows:
	(a) None.
	(b) None.

House Purchases

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received about applying the Sale of Goods Act 1979 to new house purchases; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply to new house purchases. I have received no representations about applying the Sale of Goods Act to new house purchases.

Israel

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what plans she has to develop the trade relationship between the UK and Israel;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on bi-lateral trade between the UK and Israel.

Douglas Alexander: UK Trade and Investment has developed a programme of trade development and inward investment activities with Israel in sectors which present real and specific opportunities for UK industry. UKTI has identified opportunities particularly in the high tech and financial services industries, as well as seeking to attract significant Israeli investment into the UK. 2004 trade figures for UK exports to Israel are 1.394 billion (1.377 billion in 2003) and 943 million for Israeli imports to the UK (882 million in 2003).

Israel

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of bilateral trade relations between the UK and Israel (a) from 1997 to 2001 and (b) since June 2001.

Douglas Alexander: The bilateral trade relationship between the UK and Israel has been fruitful for both sides for many years and continues to thrive. Statistically this can be measured in four-year blocks; in 19972000 (inclusive) 5.085 billion of goods was exported from the UK to Israel, and in 200104 (inclusive) this had risen by 10 per cent. to 5.576 billion. Imports from Israel in the same periods fell slightly from 3.802 to 3.711.

Lyons Review

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what decisions have been made to relocate to north-east Scotland jobs in the Department in the oil and gas sector as set out in the recommendations of the Lyons Review.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 10 January 2005
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to his question number 207634, on 12 January 2005, Official Report, column 579W.

Maternity Leave

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage of women in Bolton, North-East have taken 26 weeks maternity leave since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Labour Force Survey provides statistics on the number of women who are on maternity leave at a single point in time (spring) every year. However it does not record the total number of women on maternity leave each year or the duration of leave taken. Due to concerns about data confidentiality, the Office for National Statistics does not release figures at constituency level. The smallest area for which data are available is Greater Manchester.
	Over the eight years between 1997 and 2004, there were on average 6,000 women on maternity leave around spring in Greater Manchester. This represents approximately 1.2 per cent. of women in employment, and 0.5 per cent. of all women, in the Greater Manchester area.

MG Rover

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with representatives from China on a bid to rescue MG Rover.

Jacqui Smith: The Government supports the proposed joint venture between MG Rover and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) as the best route to achieving a sustainable future for manufacturing at Longbridge. A number of Ministers, including my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, have expressed this support both in writing and in face-to-face meetings with representatives of SAIC and the Chinese Government.

Miners Compensation (Midlothian)

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people in Midlothian were paid compensation under the Coal Industry Pneumoconiosis Compensation Scheme in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004.

Nigel Griffiths: In 2003, 10 people in Midlothian were paid compensation under the Coal Industry Pneumoconiosis Scheme and in 2004, three people in Midlothian were paid compensation under the scheme and 3,292 individual payments worth 20.5 million were made in Midlothian under the Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease scheme.

Newspaper Distribution Regulations

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with the Office of Fair Trading about the review of newspaper distribution regulations; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 21 February 2005
	In response to a request from certain parties in the newspaper and magazine supply chain, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has been undertaking an informal consideration of the arrangements for distribution of newspapers and magazines. This is a matter for the OFT. OFT has, however, sought to keep DTI officials informed about the process. I understand the OFT will announce its findings shortly.

Paternity Rights

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she will take to enhance the paternity rights enjoyed by fathers to bring them into line with the maternity rights enjoyed by mothers.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 17 March 2005
	In 2003, we introduced a new right for fathers to take two weeks' paternity leave with statutory paternity pay, paid at the same standard rate as statutory maternity pay.
	In addition to this, fathers benefit from other provisions provided for working parents in the same way as mothers. The right to request flexible working, the right to parental leave and the right to time off for dependants all apply to fathers as well as mothers.
	Our recent consultation document, Work and Families: Choice and Flexibility, seeks views on options for a new scheme which would enable a father to take a proportion of the statutory maternity leave and pay which is currently available to the mother.
	Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the Libraries of the House. It is also available to download at www.dti.gov.uk/workandfamilies or to order from DTI Publications orderline on 0845 015 0010.

Pensions (Coal Industry)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many miners have been adversely affected by the changes of spring 1987 to the pension scheme relating to canteen workers in the coal industry and the continued payments of pensions to the husbands and deceased pensioners.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 18 March 2005
	The issue raised is a matter for the Trustees of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme. DTO does not hold any personal information on MPS members and I have asked the Trustees to respond to the hon. Member.

Regional Development Agencies

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how regional development agencies (RDAs) choose which company to support when multiple companies across multiple RDAs are competing for the same export business.

Douglas Alexander: Support for exporters in England is the responsibility of UK Trade  Investment, which has agreed with the RDAs to operate as their international trade arm. UK Trade  Investment seeks to support all companies which approach them for help with exporting in accordance with each company's needs. It is for individual companies to decide as to which export business they might pursue.

Regional Selective Assistance (Newcastle-under-Lyme)

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much regional selective assistance has been invested in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

Douglas Alexander: I have asked the Chief Executive of Advantage West Midlands to write to the hon. Member: a copy of that letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Renewable Energy

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the potential for promoting renewable energy in urban areas; and on what funding support is available to promote such schemes.

Mike O'Brien: The DTI's It's only Natural Campaign is a national campaign to promote renewable technologies across all regions.
	The objectives of the campaign are to:
	Raise awareness of renewable energy and its benefits among planners, councillors, investors and wider public audience.
	Inform and educate key audiences to enable them to make informed decisions.
	The DTI also has two grant support mechanisms to encourage the installation of small-scale renewables; Clear Skies, which as a 12.5 million budget, and the PV Demonstration Programme, which has a budget of 31 million. Both Programmes promote renewable technologies as well as providing grants.

Renewable Energy

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment her Department has made of European Parliament Directive 2001/77/EC article 7, on transmission and distribution fees and electricity from renewable energy sources; and what assessment she has made of whether the new transmission charging regime under British Electricity Trading and Transmission Arrangements contravenes the Directive.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 21 March 2005
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State exercised her powers under the Energy Act 2004 to designate licence conditions requiring the system operator to devise a GB transmission charging methodology under BETTA. Approval of that methodology is a matter for the independent industry regulator, Ofgem. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State also took a power in the Energy Act to enable her to adjust transmission charges for renewable generators in a specified area, if those charges would otherwise deter renewable generation in that area. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is content that, in taking these powers, and exercising her power to designate licence conditions, she has acted in a way that is compatible with Article 7 of the Directive.

Sellafield

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many drums of plutonium-contaminated processing waste are held at Sellafield; and what the (a) maximum and (b) average plutonium content of each drum is.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 14 March 2005
	Iam advised by BNFL that there are over 35,000 drums of plutonium contaminated waste held in storage at Sellafield. For drums of plutonium contaminated waste arising from the last 40 years of operations at the site the best estimate maximum plutonium content is around 170 g with an average plutonium content of a few grams.

Sellafield

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on which dates since 1 May 1997, Euratom Safeguard and accountancy treaties have been breached on the Sellafield site; and in what ways the treaties were breached in each case.

Mike O'Brien: The European Commission announced on 30 March 2004 its decision to launch infraction proceedings regarding aspects of Euratom safeguards implementation at the Sellafield B30 plant. There have been no other Euratom safeguards infraction proceedings in respect of the Sellafield site.

Solar Photovoltaics

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she will take to support UK solar PV manufacturing and design once funding under the 2002 to 2012 demonstration programme ends later this year.

Mike O'Brien: The major PV demonstration programme is due to end in March 2006. Grants are expected to be paid up to March 2007.
	The Department will continue its support for PV through a low carbon buildings programme. The low carbon buildings programme is currently under development and there will be formal consultation on this later this year. The programme is expected to begin operating in 200607.

South West Regional Development Agency

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many members of staff there are in the south west regional Development Agency; and how many have been in post for (a) less than one year, (b) between one and two years and (c) more than two years.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 21 March 2005
	As at 17 March 2005 there were 251 staff employed in establishment posts in the agency.
	Of these, 32 have less than one years service, 42 have between one and two years service and 177 have more than two years service.

Telecom Services

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if her Department will publish figures for the mis-selling of fixed line telecom services, indicating the companies involved; and what discussions she has had with Ofcom on this matter.

Mike O'Brien: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom). Accordingly, my officials have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of Houses.

UK Trade and Investment

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff are employed in the London office of UK Trade  Investment; and what plans she has for reducing London-based staff at UK Trade  Investment over the next 12 months.

Douglas Alexander: UK Trade  Investment currently has some 600 civil service staff in London and 70 staff in Glasgow. The total work force also includes temporary and agency staff who cover vacant civil service posts and provide certain specialist skills.
	In line with reductions in resource envisaged in its SR 2004 settlement, UK Trade  Investment is reducing the number of posts in its London and Glasgow offices. It expects, by April 2008, to have achieved a reduction of 200 in the total number of established posts.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices (York)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Government-funded apprentices there were in City of York in each year since 199697.

Ivan Lewis: The available local information on Government-funded apprentices is at Local Learning and Skills Council (LLSC) area, and prior to the creation of the LSC, Training and Enterprise Council (TEC) area. The following table shows the number of learners on apprenticeships in the north Yorkshire TEC area in October of each year from 1996 to 2000, as well as the number of learners on apprenticeships in north Yorkshire LLSC in October of each year since 2001.
	
		Learners on apprenticeships in north Yorkshire TEC/LSC by programme and month
		
			 Month Advanced apprenticeships Apprenticeships at level 2 
		
		
			 North Yorkshire TEC 
			 October 1996 700  
			 October 1997 1,400  
			 October 1998 1,700 600 
			 October 1999 1,800 1,800 
			 October 2000 1,900 3,000 
			 North Yorkshire LLSC   
			 October 2001 1,500 3,000 
			 October 2002 1,200 3,000 
			 October 2003 1,300 3,400 
			 October 2004 1,200 2,600 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.The definition of in-learning changed in 2003/04. The old method only counted those in learning on the last working day of the month. The new method counts those in learning at any point during the month.
	2.The reduction in 2004 is due to the transfer of significant contracts from north Yorkshire LLSC to the LSC National Contracting Service.
	Sources:
	TEC Management information
	LSC Individualised Learner Record

Catering Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent on (a) entertainment lunches involving civil servants and guests and (b) working lunches, in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided on 17 January 2005, Official Report, column 816W. The Department's accounting system does not differentiate between entertainment lunches and working lunches. All expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in Government Accounting.

Child Care

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the role of the provision of culturally sensitive child care in facilitating Muslim women's ability to work outside the home.

Margaret Hodge: The Government are fully committed to ensuring that regular reviews of provision are undertaken locally and nationally to ensure services are inclusive and sensitive to the needs of all communities, including the Muslim community.
	We have taken a proactive stance to identify the issues, consider their underlying causes, explore potential solutions and establish successful approaches to all communities where they are needed.
	Available information seems to show that Bangladeshi and Pakistani families are the least likely to be using childcare and the most likely to have very low levels of maternal employment.
	We have commissioned a secondary analysis of the Parents Demand for Childcare Survey datasets to explore further ethnic minority group parents' use of, demand for and views on childcare over the period 19992001 by examining combined data from the baseline and repeat surveys. This research report is due to be published by the Department on Thursday 31 March.
	As the data are not collected by faith groups, we will need to use the ethnic definitions of Bangladeshi and Pakistani groupings. Although the analysed data were collected in 1999 and 2001, we will be examining the findings closely to help us better understand why Muslim families seem to be less engaged with local formal childcare services.
	Various studies as well as practice feedback that we have had from the experience of many Sure Start local programmes and other local childcare services show that when childcare provision is culturally sensitive Muslim families are much more likely to access services.

Child Care

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government are taking to ensure that additional child care places will expand the provision of child care within and for Muslim communities in a culturally sensitive way.

Margaret Hodge: The Government are committed to ensuring that all its policies, practices and services are totally inclusive, and do not discriminate against any individual. This principle underpins our strategic guidance to local authorities. Local authorities are also required to adhere to and implement equality and inclusion policies, procedures and practices when developing early years education and childcare services. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 sets out the requirements with which all listed public authorities must comply.
	My Department funded four projects in local authorities during 200304 to improve understanding of the practical steps Local authorities and childcare settings can take to ensure childcare provision is responsive to the needs of local black and minority ethnic families and is used by them. A report of findings was produced and distributed to all local authorities. Training has been made available to Children's Information Services and to early years staff to improve their practice. A very wide range of information and resources on topics such as purchasing and using culturally sensitive toys and books and resources for staff about the Muslim culture is available via links on our website to those of other organisations.
	The information from these projects is already informing the design and implementation of our current and future childcare initiatives. The Sure Start Unit's own work on childcare is part of the wider DfES plans to ensure that all education services engage with Muslim communities.
	In particular, we will ensure that, through the significant expansion of provision in the Government's 10-year strategy on child care, we and our local authority partners work hard to further improve access to culturally sensitive childcare for Muslim families. Finally, our support and inspection arrangements for local authority childcare activities will assess that local authorities ensure local services respond sensitively to the Muslim communities in their area.
	It is vital that the Muslim community and Muslim organisations help to shape policies and programmes to tackle the issues particular to their communities, both at a national and local level. In developing childcare, therefore, we will continue to ensure there is consultation and involvement of the community at local and national level.

Departmental Expenditure Breakdown

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list miscellaneous programmes under the headings (a) schools, (b) support for children, young people and families, (c) higher education, (d) further education, adult learning and skills and lifelong learning and (e) activities to support all functions in her Department's expenditure plans for 2004.

Derek Twigg: A list showing all the programmes included as miscellaneous entries in the Departmental Annual Report is as follows.
	(a) Schools
	Assisted Places SchemeProviding financial assistance to able pupils studying in independent schools.
	Music Ballet SchemeSupporting training for exceptional pupils in Music and Dance.
	City Technology Collegesproviding support for City technology Colleges.
	Academies (Capital)Supporting the implementation of the Academies.
	Specialist SchoolsPromoting the specialist schools initiative.
	CurriculumPromoting a broad and rich curriculum.
	Cybrarian Fundassisting access to internet for disabled and disadvantaged.
	Sustainable Developmentdeveloping a Sustainable Development framework for schools in support of the Government's Sustainable Development strategy.
	Schools Council Pensionsresidual pension payments.
	ex-FAS propertiesresidual property costs of the Funding Agency for Schools.
	GM Schoolsmeeting remaining costs of capital projects of former grant maintained schools.
	Innovation FundsSupporting innovative school programmes to improve student outcomes.
	Diversity path findersTo raise standards for all pupils by creating a more diverse secondary education system where schools collaborate to share effective practice.
	Performance TablesProviding school performance information to allow parents to make improved choices about where to send their children.
	Baseline AssessmentSupporting assessments of children at the end of the Foundation Stage (usually aged 5).
	Creativity/Cultural EntitlementProviding access to a wider range of cultural and artistic opportunities.
	Modern Foreign LanguagesDelivering the National Languages Strategy.
	Refugees and Embassy Mother TongueRaising minority ethnic achievement.
	Behaviour: Central support and developmentSupporting initiatives to improve pupil behaviour and reduce bullying and exclusions.
	School InterventionFresh Start.
	Independent State School PartnershipsSupporting cross-sector collaboration with the independent sector aimed at sharing expertise and raising standards.
	School Travel AdvisersDeveloping school travel plans to reduce car journeys.
	Governors/AdmissionSchool admissions, governance and organisation
	(b) Support for children
	E-Learning Strategy Unit Innovations FundSupporting DfES' cross cutting e-strategy.
	Community Industry Pensionsresidual pension payments.
	Special Educational Needssupports, regional partnerships, national advisers, disability tribunal, teacher training and developmental work.
	ParentingTo support families through the Parenting Fund and Parenting Plus.
	Family SupportTo support families through the Family Support Grant.
	Marriage and Relationship SupportSupporting voluntary organisations to establish activities to improve relationships between partners.
	Grants to the Voluntary Sector
	(c) Higher Education
	Development and promotion of Foundation Degrees
	Bursaries and Subscriptions for the European University Institute (Florence), the College of Europe (Bruges) and Fellowships at the Bologna Centre of the John Hopkins University.
	Other HE Internationalproviding advice and information for international students studying in the UK.
	HE Innovations FundSupporting policy development and innovative ideas on improving graduate employability, admissions to HE and the quality of regulation.
	Office of the HE Independent Adjudicator
	Other HE Funding and evaluationSmall HE liabilities and evaluation costs for Aim Higher
	(d) Further education, adult learning and skills and lifelong learning
	Inward Investmentencouraging investment in Britain by multi-nationals.
	ex-Training and Enterprise Council propertiesresidual property costs of TECs.
	Sector Skills Development Agency
	Learndirectinformation advice and guidance on learning for adults.
	Investors In People UK
	Further Education Teaching and Learningimproving standards and bursaries for trainee FE teachers.
	Skills Strategy supportNational marketing, communication, development and delivery of the skills strategy.
	Invest to Save Budget (Derby FE College)
	(e) Activities to support all functions
	Corporate Internet Presenceproviding public access to information.
	Community Championsneighbourhood renewal through support of community, projects.
	Invest to Save Budget (Savings)
	Supporting Enterprise Communitiesfunding projects that support local community initiatives.
	Stakeholder Managementsupports corporate, ministerial and board stakeholder management activity to promote effective communications.
	Business Development Unit FundTo develop long term relationships with businesses to secure sponsorship.
	e-Portalsfacilities for communicating with the education sector.
	Evaluation and ResearchTo evaluate policy and inform spending reviews.
	Pension Transfer Valuescosts associated with transferring pensions.
	Data ServicesTo provide detailed, robust information to ministers and policy makers.

Dudley College

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the financial implications for Dudley college of the funding gap with school sixth forms; and if she will make a statement on when she expects the funding gap to be narrowed.

Kim Howells: The Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skillssector to the Learning and Skills Council. The Department does not collect or hold information at the level requested.
	Government recognise that there are differences in the funding allocated to school sixth forms and further education colleges and have taken action to address this. We have brought up funding levels for further education colleges as we said we would without penalising schools. Our policy has been to continue to bring up the level of funding for colleges, as and when we are able to secure the resources to do so.

Dudley College

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  whether her Department will fully fund courses for adults at Level 3 at Dudley College in 2005/06;
	(2)  whether she expects fees for courses above Level 2 for adults to rise at Dudley College in 2005/06.

Kim Howells: It is our policy to ensure that those groups of people benefiting from fully funded further education provision will continue to do so. There will be no change in the fee concessions arrangements that help unemployed people, those on income based benefits, and retired people and working families on low incomes, to access further education. We will continue to make substantial levels of public funding available to all which covers the largest part of the cost of courses but we also expect adult learners, who can afford to do so, to make a contribution to the costs of their learning. Those people already qualified at level 2, or not in one of our priority groups, will on average pay a higher fee contribution in 2005/06 unless they qualify for fee concessions.

Dudley College

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will take steps to ensure that fee concessions remain in place for those aged 60 years who wish to attend Dudley College.

Kim Howells: Older people will continue to be eligible for concessions funded by my Department through the Learning and Skills Council if they are receiving an income based benefit such as housing benefit or council tax benefit, and they may be eligible for fee concessions if they are receiving the pension credit. Learners of any age will also continue to have access to literacy, numeracy and English language courses free of charge. Colleges such as Dudley will continue to have considerable discretion in setting fees, and although we want colleges to raise more of the income they voluntarily forgo, we have no plans to stop colleges offering additional concessions if appropriate.

Education Funding

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with the Learning and Skills Council on its recent decision on changing the way in which GNVQs are funded;
	(2)  if she will ask the Learning and Skills Council to fund GNVQs at the same rate in schools and colleges in 2005/06; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My Department has not discussed with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) its decision to change GNVQ funding rates for further education providers for 2005/06. I have no plans to ask the LSC to change the way it funds GNVQs. Decisions about funding rates in schools and colleges are a matter for the LSC. I understand that changes similar to those made for colleges will apply to school sixth-forms in 2006/07.

Education Funding

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment her Department has made of the funding gap between school sixth forms and further education colleges in Leeds; what the timetable is for taking steps to close the gap; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skillssector to the Learning and Skills Council. The Department does not collect or hold information at the level requested.
	Government recognise that there are differences in the funding allocated to school sixth forms and further education colleges and has taken action to address this. We have brought up funding levels for further education colleges as we said we would without penalising schools. Our policy has been to continue to bring up the level of funding for colleges, as and when we are able to secure the resources to do so.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England have received education maintenance allowance.

Ivan Lewis: By the end of February 2005 1,605 young people resident in the South Tyneside local authority area had received one or more EMA payments. 18,803 young people in the North East of England and 284,002 young people across the whole of England had received one or more EMA payments. We do not analyse data at constituency level.

English Examinations (Key Stage 3)

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of the total number of scripts for Key Stage 3 examinations in English for 2004 were sent abroad to be marked.

Stephen Twigg: holding answer 21 March 2005
	No Key Stage 3 English tests were sent abroad to be marked in 2004.

Further Education (Blyth Valley)

Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  whether she expects fees for courses above level 2 for adults to rise in Blyth Valley in 2005/06;
	(2)  if her Department will fully fund courses for adults at level 3 in Blyth Valley in 2005/06.

Kim Howells: It is our policy to ensure that those groups of people benefiting from fully funded further education provision will continue to do so. There will be no change in the fee concessions arrangements that help unemployed people, those on income based benefits, and retired people and working families on low incomes, to access further education. We will continue to make substantial levels of public funding available to all which covers the largest part of the cost of courses but we also expect adult learners, who can afford to do so, to make a contribution to the costs of their learning. Those people already qualified at level 2, or not in one of our priority groups, will on average pay a higher fee contribution in 2005/06 unless they qualify for fee concessions.

Further Education (Blyth Valley)

Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she will take to ensure that fee concessions remain in place for those aged over 60 years who wish to study in further education colleges in Blyth Valley.

Kim Howells: Older people will continue to be eligible for concessions funded by my Department through the Learning and Skills Council if they are receiving an income based benefit such as housing benefit or council tax benefit, and they may be eligible for fee concessions if they are receiving the pension credit. Learners of any age will also continue to have access to literacy, numeracy and English language courses free of charge. Colleges such as those in the Blyth Valley will continue to have considerable discretion in setting fees, and although we want colleges to raise more of the income they voluntarily forgo, we have no plans to stop colleges offering additional concessions if appropriate.

Geography Teaching

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what response she has made to the Ofsted report on geography teaching.

Derek Twigg: In April 2004 Ministers set up a Development Fund to support the teaching and learning of geography in schools. A joint contract has been awarded to the Royal Geographical Society and the Geographical Association to develop resources and support for schools and teachers. We have also set up a high-level focus group with schools, further and higher education, professions, media, heritage, international and business interests represented. The group aims to identify pragmatic and realistic ways to support the subject and raise its profile.

Higher Education Funding

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the change in funding for universities in England will be in 200506.

Kim Howells: The Government provide funding for higher education through the Higher Education and Funding Council for England (HEFCE). 6,332 million in recurrent funding has been allocated for universities and colleges in England for 200506. The total grant, which represents an overall increase of 5.6 per cent. compared with 200405, provides an above inflation increase for teaching, 120 million more for research and an extra 26,000 student places.

Higher Education Funding

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research the Department evaluated prior to selecting the minimum standard bursary and other bursary schemes as mechanisms bywhich to minimise the deterrent effects of tuition fees.

Kim Howells: In framing the variable fees policy, including the bursaries policy, we looked at overseas experience, especially in Australia and Ontario. We also looked at the results of offering Opportunity Bursaries to potential university students from poor backgrounds in selected parts of England.

Higher Education Funding

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the percentage of total fee income which the payment of minimum standard bursaries will represent for (a) Russell Group universities and (b) mainstream universities.

Kim Howells: Exactly how much the minimum standard bursaries cost any university each year will depend on what fees they decide to charge, and on the make-up of their student body in that year. We have said in the letter of guidance from the Secretary of State to the Director for Fair Access that the minimum requirement should not cost any institution more than around 10 per cent. of their extra fee income.

Higher Education Funding

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has issued on the role of the Office of Fair Access in advising higher education institutions on levels of expenditure in relation to attracting under-represented students.

Kim Howells: The letter of guidance from the Secretary of State to the Director for Fair Access was published in October 2004, and is available on the DfES website. It suggests (section 6.1) that the director should expect the most, in terms of bursaries and financial support, from institutions whose records suggest that they have the farthest to go in terms of securing a broadly based intake of students. However, it also makes clear that it is for institutions to make proposals, and for the director to decide whether to approve them.

Higher Education Funding

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills at what point in the academic year 200607 she expects (a) universities will be in receipt of additional fee income and (b) students will be in receipt of minimum standard bursaries.

Ivan Lewis: The arrangements for the payment of fee income from 200607, where students decide to defer payment of their fees by taking out a fee loan, are still being finalised. The SLC currently pays fee income from the fee remission grant to institutions in February. From 200607, fee income may be paid in more than one instalment. How and when universities and colleges choose to pay bursaries to students is their decision.

Higher Education Funding

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what level of (a) tuition fees and (b) bursaries and grants for students are proposed byeach higher education institution in England from 2006.

Kim Howells: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Learndirect

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 24 February 2005, Official Report, column 755W, on learndirect, how many learners ceased to participate in learndirect without completing the course.

Ivan Lewis: On the basis of information provided by Ufi, 1.55 million learners have enrolled on learndirect courses since April 2000. 624,000 of these learners did not complete their course. The learndirect Winter Barometer Report 2005 identified lack of time (23 per cent.), work commitments (16 per cent.), problems accessing course (15 per cent.) and family/personal circumstances (15 per cent.) as the key reasons for non-completion. Current learner satisfaction is at an all time high of 90 per cent.

Local Network Fund

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what plans she has to move the management of the Local Network Fund from the voluntary to the statutory sector;
	(2)  what steps she will take to ensure that voluntary and community groups in Devon have equality of access to the Local Network Fund after 1 April 2006;
	(3)  what safeguards are in place to ensure that children's trust funds previously earmarked for the Local Network Fund are not reallocated to other programmes from April 2006;
	(4)  what steps she will take to ensure there is consistency in the delivery of the Local Network Fund during the 2006 to 2008 transition period.

Margaret Hodge: A decision to extend the Local Network Fund for Children and Young People to cover the period 200608 was taken last year. The programme will continue to be available, solely for voluntary and community groups working with vulnerable 0 to 19-year-olds.
	The Local Network Fund is an important part of the Change for Children programme which involves the creation of local children's trusts to plan and commission services for young people. We are currently finalising our advice and planning guidance to local authorities and other partners on the establishment and development of children's trusts. This will include transitional arrangements for programmes such as the Local Network Fund. We will take account of the success of the current management and delivery arrangements for the Local Network Fund in finalising the transitional arrangements.

Mature Students

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many mature students were resident in each London borough in each year since 2001.

Kim Howells: Information on the term time address of students is not held centrally. The closest available information shows the number of students from each local education authority in London, based on their address prior to entering HE study, and this is given in the table.
	
		UK domiciled undergraduates from London aged 21 or over
		
			  Academic year: 
			 Home LEA of student:(8) 200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			 City of London 210 235 225 
			 Camden 3,910 4,235 4,385 
			 Greenwich 3,580 3,900 4,275 
			 Hackney 4,250 4,590 4,880 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,590 2,795 3,020 
			 Islington 3,610 3,930 4,175 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 2,405 2,595 2,645 
			 Lambeth 5,475 5,955 6,265 
			 Lewisham 5,015 5,475 5,870 
			 Southwark 5,675 6,135 6,565 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,860 3,355 3,555 
			 Wandsworth 4,315 4,750 5,080 
			 City of Westminster 3,305 3,705 3,805 
			 Barking 1,560 1,970 2,205 
			 Barnet 5,775 6,290 6,545 
			 Bexley 2,360 2,495 2,770 
			 Brent 5,185 5,605 5,850 
			 Bromley 3,730 4,030 4,350 
			 Croydon 4,595 5,115 5,515 
			 Ealing 5,535 5,735 6,060 
			 Enfield 4,380 4,770 4,980 
			 Haringey 4,785 5,195 5,205 
			 Harrow 3,740 3,990 4,190 
			 Havering 1,925 2,190 2,370 
			 Hillingdon 3,190 3,345 3,510 
			 Hounslow 3,085 3,230 3,485 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 2,205 2,425 2,585 
			 Merton 2,795 3,085 3,330 
			 Newham 4,660 5,450 5,690 
			 Redbridge 3,845 4,345 4,600 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 2,645 2,755 2,930 
			 Sutton 2,010 2,200 2,295 
			 Waltham Forest 3,835 4,385 4,655 
		
	
	(8)The home LEA indicates the student's normal area of residence, but this will not necessarily be the same as the LEA in which they live during their period of study.
	Source:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5.

Medical Schools

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the university medical schools which have admitted students for training which will lead to qualifications as a doctor with less than the equivalent of three Cs at A level; how many such students have been admitted in each year since 1997; and which university medical schools plan to admit such students in the future under the auspices of the widening participation scheme.

Kim Howells: The following table provides information on the numbers of undergraduate entrants to pre-clinical medicine courses within the UK, with less than the equivalent of three Cs at 'A' level.
	The admission and selection of students is a matter for individual institutions. Therefore the decision on whether or not to recruit such students rests with the universities, and they would take such decisions according to the merit and potential of the individual applicants. Although there are currently no Government programmes for widening participation aimed specifically at medicine, Aimhigher, a national outreach programme operating most intensively in disadvantaged areas, enables local partnerships to design and deliver a range of activities to raise the aspiration and attainment levels of young people.
	Alongside this, Aimhigher runs nine pilot schemes aimed at the health and social care professions to encourage wider participation from a broad range of social and ethnic backgrounds.
	
		UK domiciled undergraduate entrants to pre-clinical medicine with less than three Cs (or equivalent)(9)(5507590010) at A level
		
			 HESA institution identifier 1997/98 1998/99 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 
		
		
			 University of Leicester (11) (11) 10 (11) 5 5 25 
			 University of Warwick (11) (11) (11) 5 (11) (11) 25 
			 University of East Anglia (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 5 25 
			 Queen Mary and Westfield College (11) 5 5 (11) (11) 5 15 
			 University of Glasgow 15 10 15 15 20 10 15 
			 University of Nottingham (11) 5 (11) (11) (11) (11) 15 
			 University of Plymouth (Peninsular Medical School)(12) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 15 
			 University of Dundee 5 10 5 10 25 5 10 
			 University of Leeds 5 (11) 5 (11) 20 15 10 
			 King's College London (11) 10 5 5 5 5 10 
			 University of Aberdeen 5 15 10 15 10 10 10 
			 University of St Andrews (11) 5 15 (11) 10 10 10 
			 St. George's Hospital Medical School (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 10 
			 University of Exeter (Peninsular Medical School) (3) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 5 
			 University of Durham (11) (11) (11) (11) 5 (11) 5 
			 University of Sussex (Brighton and Sussex Medical School) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 5 
			 University College London (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 5 5 
			 University of Edinburgh 5 (11) (11) (11) (11) 5 5 
			 University of Brighton (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 5 
			 Victoria University of Manchester (11) 5 (11) 5 10 10 5 
			 University of Birmingham 5 (11) 5 5 5 10 (11) 
			 University of Sheffield (11) (11) 5 5 5 5 (11) 
			 University of York(13) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 
			 Imperial College of Science, Technology  Medicine 5 (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 
			 University of Cambridge (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 
			 University of Oxford (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 
			 University of Bristol (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 
			 University of Hull(13) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 
			 Queen's University of Belfast (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 
			 University of Liverpool 5 5 (11) (11) (11) (11) (11) 
			 University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (11) (11) 5 (11) 5 5 (11) 
			 University of Southampton 5 (11) (11) (11) (11) 5 (11) 
			 University of Wales, Cardiff (11) (11) (11) 5 (11) (11) (11) 
			 Total 70 70 90 70 120 120 235 
		
	
	(9)Based upon students obtaining A level qualifications.
	(10)For years up to and including 2001/02, figures are based upon students with A level qualifications and a points score of between 1 and 17 A level points. For 2002/03 onwards the figures are based upon the students' tariff score from A level qualifications and includes students with 1 to 239 tariff points.
	3 Signifies 0, 1 or 2.
	(11)Delivery of the Undergraduate Programme began in autumn 2002.
	(12)First intake of students accepted in 2003.
	Note:
	Figures rounded to the nearest 5 and are a snapshot as at 1 December.
	Source:
	HESA

Mobile Phones

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost of staff mobile phone bills was in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The answer is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Total cost  
		
		
			 1997/98 170,045.78 
			 1998/99 168,298.72 
			 1999/00 218,889.09 
			 2000/01 329,196.99 
			 2001/02 374,248.87 
			 2002/03 353,955.78 
			 2003/04 270,547.63 
			 2004/05

Non-school Playgrounds

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what support the Government provided for non-school playgrounds in (a) 200102, (b) 200203 and (c) 200304; and what future funding allocations have been made.

Richard Caborn: I have been asked to reply.
	ODPM and DfES have provided funding for non-school playgrounds/playing fields as follows:
	ODPM
	ODPM through its New Deal for Communities partnerships has spent 4,775 (200102); 1,711,010 (200203) and 857,548 (200304). Future funding allocations have not yet been finalised.
	ODPM also provides funding for non-school playgrounds through sponsorship of Groundwork, who deliver projects led by or for children and young people and through the Living Spaces scheme which is funding improvements to spaces, including play areas, parks, kick-about areas and skate parks. However, it is not possible to aggregate out support for these play areas from the general project funding that is provided.
	DfES
	Outdoor playground facilities have been funded from the Local Network Fund. Records show that grants totalling 250,000 have been awarded to 31 voluntary groups for external play grounds. These grants are broken down as follows:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 2001/02 68,000 
			 2002/03 82,000 
			 2003/04 100,000 
		
	
	The Local Network Fund runs until 2008 with a yearly allocation of 40 million. It is not possible to predict at this stage how much of that future funding will go to non- school playgrounds.

Outdoor Learning

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects to publish guidance on outdoor learning trips, to which Press Notice 0021 of 15 February refers.

Derek Twigg: We aim to publish the guidance outlined in the Department's Press Notice of 15 February in the summer.

Parliamentary Questions

Eric Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will reply to question 215722, tabled on 7 February to the right hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst.

Derek Twigg: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 21 March.

Pelham Infant School

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what representations she has received relating to the potential use of the former Pelham Infant School, Immingham, North East Lincolnshire as a children's centre;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on the sale of the former Pelham Infant School, Immingham, North East Lincolnshire.

Margaret Hodge: In September 2004 St. Andrew's Junior School and Pelham Infants School, which were both located on the same campus site, amalgamated to form the Canon Peter Hall School. A part of the former Pelham Infant School site now forms part of the new amalgamated primary school but the remainder of the Pelham Infant School site is currently not in use.
	Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 requires any council wishing to sell any land that falls within the definition of school playing fields to first seek the consent of the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. North East Lincolnshire council has submitted an application to sell part of the former Pelham Infant School site and this application is currently under consideration. The Department has also received a representation from the Canon Peter Hall School, which outlines that school's desire to establish an outdoor play area on a part of the site to be sold. This representation will be taken into account when considering the local authority's application.
	The Department for Education and Skills has not received any representations from any party relating to the potential use of the Pelham Infant School, Immingham, North East Lincolnshire as a children's centre. However, officials are aware of the local community's desire for a children's centre and that the site is within an area that is defined by the local authority as a pocket of deprivation. In accordance with the Government's strategy for the delivery of children's centres it should therefore be one of the first areas where children's centres are developed. However, it is for local authorities to decide where to locate children's centres in order to best serve their communities.

Staff Surveys

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was paid to consultants carrying out staff surveys in the Department and its predecessors in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: My Department completes a staff survey approximately every eighteen months. The surveys are administered and evaluated by an external partner who provides analysis and technical support.
	Costs from 1999 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 1999 67,563 
			 2000 53,043 
			 2001 59,097 
			 2003 60,403

Staff Surveys

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost of staff surveys in the Department and its predecessors was in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: My Department completes a staff survey every eighteen months. The survey is a powerful tool which highlights trends in staff views, areas of good practice and areas of development. The survey enables the Department to compare opinion in the Department over time and to benchmark ourselves against other UK organisations in both the public and private sector.
	From 1999 the Department's staff surveys have been administered and evaluated by an external partner. Previous surveys were completed in-house.
	Costs from 1999 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 1999 67,563 
			 2000 53,043 
			 2001 59,097 
			 2003 60,403

Student Encouragement

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much the Government spent in 2004 on (a) schemes and (b) advertising to encourage (i) prospective undergraduates and (ii) prospective graduates to participate in further education.

Kim Howells: The Government is keen to ensure that all those with the potential to benefit from higher education (HE) are able and willing to do so. By 2010, we want to increase participation in HE towards 50 per cent. of those aged 18 to 30. Within that we want to see a broader cross-section of people being able and willing to go into HE. To that effect we support the Aimhigher Programme which seeks to raise attainment, aspiration and application levels of people from backgrounds currently under-represented in HE. The total budget for Aimhigher for the 2004/05 academic year is 128 million. This funding enables partnerships of schools, colleges and universities to design and deliver a range of activities in support of the Programme's aims. This budget does not include any amounts for national advertising.
	In addition to the Aimhigher Programme the Department for Education and Skills is running two advertising campaigns during 2004/05.
	The Foundation Degrees campaign is aimed at 18 to 30-year-olds and employers in order to raise awareness of Foundation Degrees as a higher education qualification. The cost of this advertising in 2004/05 is 542,000.
	The Student Finance campaign is aimed at potential higher education students and their parents to inform them of the student support package available to them in HE and how to apply for it. The cost of this advertising in 2004/05 is 1.05million.
	There are no national schemes or advertising aimed at encouraging or enabling prospective undergraduates to stay in education at post-graduate level.
	All costs exclude VAT.

Students

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the total sum which higher education institutions are proposing to spend to support students from under-represented groups.

Kim Howells: Full details about university access agreements approved by the Office for Fair Access (OFFA), including details of bursaries, scholarships and other financial support largely for students from poorer backgrounds, are available on the OFFA website, www.offa.org.uk. The Government and their partners also contribute significantly to the widening participation agenda through the Aimhigher programme, which has a budget this year of 128 million.

Sure Start

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places have been created by the Sure Start Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative in each year that the scheme has been in operation.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 10 March 2005
	The Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative was launched in 2001. It had a target of creating 45,000 new child care and early education places in 1,000 nurseries for children aged 0 to 5 in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged areas in England by March 2004. 100 million of capital funding from the New Opportunities Fund (now the Big Lottery Fund), 28 million Sure Start capital and 243 million of revenue funding from the Sure Start Unit was made available to 142 local authorities to support the development and delivery of these places. Places have been developed through a diverse range of local and national providers and are intended to be responsive to local needs and preferences. By March 2004, 1,000 neighbourhood nurseries had been created providing approximately 36,000 new child care places. By August 2004, 1,279 neighbourhood nurseries had been opened providing 45,000 places.
	The Sure Start Unit's on-going monitoring of progress towards the 45,000 places target shows that the number of places created by 31 March in each year was as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Number of places created 
		
		
			 200102 516 
			 200203 4,004 
			 200304 31,728 
			 200405 8,859

Sure Start

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of midwives required for the Sure Start programme in the North West.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 16 March 2005
	No estimate has been made of the number of midwives required for the Sure Start programme in the North West region. This would be for local discussion and agreement. Ante-natal and post-natal services, undertaken by midwives and health visitors, are a key element within the core health service activities undertaken by Sure Start local programmes and they will be part of the core services that will be offered in children's centres serving the most disadvantaged communities. These services are provided in different waysthrough the direct employment of midwives to work with families living within the catchment area of a local programme, through secondment opportunities, and in partnership with primary care trusts.

Sure Start

Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will announce the funding allocations to local authorities for Sure Start for 200607 and 200708.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 17 March 2005
	Spending on Sure Start will reach 1.8 billion in 200708, more than double the figure for 200405. This represents an annual average increase of 24 per cent. in real terms.
	1,660 million of this total is available for allocation to local authorities in 200607, and 1,780 million in 200708.
	We will very shortly be allocating money to local authorities for the second wave of children's centres and for extended schools. Both will be for the period 200608. A further allocation, covering the remaining elements of General Sure Start Grant for 200608, will be made in the autumn. This gives us the opportunity to consult with local authorities on how best to allocate money for sustainable child care places, and the new Transformation Fund.
	I am pleased to say that the Chancellor announced in his Budget speech on 16 March that local authorities will now be able to recover VAT on investment in children's centres and child care. This removes what has become a significant barrier to some authorities moving forward with the Government's 10-year strategy for child care.

University Admissions

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has issued to the Office for Fair Access ensuring that universities do not discriminate against female candidates in the allocation of places.

Kim Howells: The Director for Fair Access has no remit over any admissions decision by a university. In our guidance to the Director, we have suggested that he discuss questions of under-representation in higher education with the Equal Opportunities Commission and other similar bodies, and work with them to help institutions understand best practice.

Work-based Learning Report

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what response the Government have made to the Adult Learning Inspectorate's recent report on work-based learning.

Ivan Lewis: We welcome the annual report from the Chief Inspector of the Adult Learning Inspectorate, published on 24 November 2004. The reported improvements in the work-based learning sector are particularly welcome. The report also makes clear, though, that there is still more to do. We will continue to work closely with a range of partners to drive up standards in all parts of the sector and for all learners.

CABINET OFFICE

Every Child Matters

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the steps he has taken to co-ordinate Government policy in relation to Every Child Matters and family court proceedings; what his objectives were in so doing; and what the outcome of his actions was.

Alan Milburn: None.

Accidents

Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what arrangements for monitoring accidents at work involving members of staff of his Office are in place; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Milburn: The Duchy of Lancaster Office, as required by the Health and Safety Legislation, maintains an accident record book within the office and would report any accidents under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 Regulations (RIDDOR), as required.

Asylum and Immigration

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the steps he has taken to co-ordinate Government policy in relation to preparing asylum seekers' children to be taught in English; what his objectives were in so doing; and what the outcome was of his actions.

Alan Milburn: None.

Asylum and Immigration

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the steps he has taken to co-ordinate Government policy in relation to teaching of English to adult asylum seekers in the UK; what his objectives were in so doing; and what the outcome of his actions was.

Alan Milburn: None.

Clerk of Council

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what role the Clerk of Council has in relation to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Milburn: The Clerk of the Council is the Chief Executive Officer of the Duchy of Lancaster and is answerable to me as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. He is the executive member of Council to which I have granted a revocable delegation of authority.

Clerk of Council

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what role the Duchy Council plays in relation to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Clerk of Council; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Milburn: The Council of the Duchy of Lancaster is a board of seven people to which I have revokably delegated authority to undertake the general running of the Duchy in relation, in particular, to the financial assets and performance of the Duchy. The Clerk of the Council is the executive member of Council.

Consultants (Expenditure)

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Duchy has spent on (a) press advisers and (b) other consultants since January 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Milburn: The Duchy of Lancaster is not a Government Department and as such not supported by public funds. Since January 2005, the Duchy of Lancaster office has spent 1,920 on a press adviser. The Duchy of Lancaster has not employed any other consultants during this period.

Divorce

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the steps he has taken to co-ordinate Government policy in relation to the impact of divorce law and family breakdown on children's educational attainment; what his objectives were in so doing; and what the outcome was of his actions.

Alan Milburn: None.

Night-time Economy

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the steps he has taken to co-ordinate Government policy in relation to the impact of licensing legislation on policing the night-time economy; what his objectives were in so doing; and what the outcome was of his actions.

Alan Milburn: None.

Press Releases

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many press releases have been issued by the Duchy in each month since January 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Milburn: The Duchy of Lancaster office issued two press releases in 2005 both in January; the first in relation to the appointment of two new Council members and the second in respect of Tutbury Castle.

Surplus Assets Sales

Nigel Evans: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether his Office sold any surplus stock on the eBay auction website, in each year since 200001.

David Miliband: No.

TREASURY

Age Exemption Forms

John Butterfill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements he is making for the provision of age exemption forms for people in Bournemouth who continue working after their pension age and no longer have to pay national insurance contributions; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 21 March 2005
	When a person makes a claim for state retirement pension and intends to continue working, they can ask for a Certificate of Age Exception by ticking the box on the claim form. Otherwise certificates can be obtained by contacting the Inland Revenue National Insurance Contributions Office, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Benefits Claimants

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many economically inactive claimants of benefits were of working age in each year since 1979.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 18 March 2005
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Frank Field, dated 22 March 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the number of economically inactive people receiving benefits. I am replying in his absence. (222606)
	Data on the numbers of people who receive working age benefits has been provided by the Department for Work and Pensions. The attached table shows the number of people of working age claiming out-of-work benefits. Those benefits which are in the great majority of cases claimed by economically inactive people, have been distinguished in the table from Jobseeker's Allowance benefit claimants, who are required to be actively seeking work as a condition of their entitlement. The figures, which relate to the May quarter in each year from 1995 to 2004, are taken from a five per cent. sample of benefit records and are therefore subject to sampling variability. No data are available prior to 1995.
	
		Working age claimants of out-of-work benefits(13) by statistical group(14) -- Thousand
		
			  Inactive benefit claimants Active benefit claimants  
			 Quarter May: Sick and disabled Lone parent Other Total (15)People claiming JSA Total 
		
		
			 1995 2,493.5 1,020.2 344.0 3,857.7 2,218.5 6,076.2 
			 1996 2,562.4 1,023.5 336.6 3,922.5 2,069.0 5,991.5 
			 1997 2,616.6 992.7 283.0 3,892.4 1,573.9 5,466.3 
			 1998 2,633.5 940.9 256.8 3,831.2 1,292.6 5,123.8 
			 1999 2,651.9 916.8 245.6 3,814.3 1,208.0 5,022.3 
			 2000 2,679.1 890.8 231.8 3,801.7 1,024.4 4,826.1 
			 2001 2,746.5 867.6 204.8 3,819.0 925.4 4,744.4 
			 2002 3,753.4 836.1 195.8 3,785.3 880.3 4,665.6 
			 2003 2,768.5 825.8 190.0 3,784.3 883.2 4,667.5 
			 2004 2,771.1 787.7 194.2 3,753.0 797.2 4,550.2 
		
	
	(13)Inactive benefits included in the table are income support (IS), incapacity benefit (IB) and severe disablement allowance (SDA).
	(14)Sick and disabled claiming IB, SDA or IS with a disability premium; lone parents claiming IS and not receiving a disability premium; and Other (IS claimants not in any other group, egasylum seekers, carers).
	(15)JSA=jobseeker's allowance.
	Source:
	DWP 5 per cent. sample

Burmese Imports

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value of imports from Burma was in 2004; and what the value was of each category of import.

John Healey: The total value of imports from Burma in 2004 was 74 million. The value broken down by category is available from HM Customs and Excise's website www.uktradeinfo.com and is shown in the following table:
	
		Imports from Burma into the United Kingdom, 2004
		
			 SITC(16)division Goods Statistical value ()(17) 
		
		
			 03 Fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic invertebrates and preparations thereof 4,716,492 
			 05 Vegetables and fruit 239,601 
			 24 Cork and wood 749,090 
			 33 Petroleum, petroleum products and related materials 7,513 
			 59 Chemical materials and products (NES) 3,352 
			 61 Leather, leather manufactures (NES) and dressed fur skins 5,181 
			 62 Rubber manufactures (NES) 44,357 
			 63 Cork and wood manufactures (excluding furniture) 179,437 
			 64 Paper, paperboard and manufactures thereof 179,095 
			 65 Textile yarn, fabrics, made up articles etc. 64,693 
			 66 Non-metallic mineral manufactures (NES) 81,825 
			 69 Manufactures of metal (NES) 527,006 
			 71 Power generating machinery and equipment 2,193 
			 72 Machinery specialized for particular industries 198,660 
			 74 General industrial machinery and equipment and machine parts (NES) 392,739 
			 75 Office machinery (NES) and adp machinery (NES) 119,837 
			 76 Telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment 388,747 
			 77 Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances and electrical parts thereof (NES) 401,167 
			 78 Road vehicles (including air cushion vehicles) 69,635 
			 79 Other transport equipment 7,965 
			 81 Prefabricated buildings; sanitary, plumbing, heating and lighting fixtures and fittings 35,337 
			 82 Furniture and parts thereof; bedding, mattresses etc 3,176,896 
			 83 Travel goods, handbags and similar containers 20,266 
			 84 Articles of apparel and clothing accessories 61,282,989 
			 85 Footwear 9,887 
			 88 Photographic and optical goods, (NES); watches and clocks 18,461 
			 89 Miscellaneous manufactured articles (NES) 649,087 
			 91 Postal packages not classified according to kind 266,383 
			 Total  73,837,891 
		
	
	NES=not elsewhere specified
	(16)Commodities as classified according to the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) Rev. 3 system.
	(17)Figures are provisional.
	Source:
	Overseas Trade Statistics, HM Customs and Excise.

Buses

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what definition of local he uses in his proposals for providing free local bus travel for pensioners; whether he has costed the extension of this provision to ferries plying between points within the United Kingdom; and whether his proposals will apply to nations for which local transport is a devolved matter.

Stephen Timms: The definition of local is set out in the Transport Act 2000. We have not costed extending this provision to ferries. It is for the devolved Administrations and Northern Ireland Ministers to determine policies in this area.

Child Trust Fund

Liam Byrne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his Department's projections of the cost of the Child Trust Fund in each year from 200506 to 201011.

Stephen Timms: The AME accruals cost to the Exchequer of the Child Trust Fund is forecast at 240 million in each of the fiscal years 200506 to 201011.

Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will instruct the Tax Credit Office to reply to the letter of 28 January from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding his constituent, Mr. A. Palla of Peterhead, passed to it by Inland Revenue Scotland.

Dawn Primarolo: The Tax Credit Office (TCO) replied to the hon. Member's constituency office address on 22 February 2005. I have asked the TCO to send him a copy of their reply.
	Hon. Members can call the TCO's MP Hotline, details of which are available on the parliamentary website, if they wish to discuss an individual constituent's tax credits claim.

Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will instruct the Tax Credit Office to reply to the letter of 7 December 2004 from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding his constituent, Mr. E. Mustoe of Fraserburgh.

Dawn Primarolo: The Tax Credit Office (TCO) replied to the hon. Members office address on 12 January 2005. I have asked the TCO to send him a copy of their reply.
	Hon. Members can call the TCO's MP Hotline, details of which are available on the Parliamentary website, if they wish to discuss an individual constituent's tax credits claim.

Correspondence

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ask Mr. Rushton, Assistant Director of the Tax Credits Office, to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Normanton sent on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. C. of Kirkhamgate, Wakefield and their claim for tax credits outstanding from September 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 15 March 2005
	The Inland Revenue replied to my hon. Friend on 14 March 2005. Hon. Members can call the Tax Credit Office MP Hotline, details of which are available on the parliamentary website, if they wish to discuss an individual constituent's tax credits claim.

Correspondence

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on which dates the Inland Revenue sent a substantive reply to each communication received from (a) the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight and (b) his constituents in relation to case no. 2004/08001519; whether the targets set for replying to letters were met in each case; what arrangements are in place to compensate constituents for financial loss and distress arising from delayed or erroneous handling of claims; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 21 March 2005
	The Inland Revenue aims to reply to 80 per cent. of letters within 15 working days and 95 per cent. within 40 working days.
	The Inland Revenue replied to the hon. Member regarding case no. 2004/08001519 on the following dates:
	9 September 2004within the 15 day target
	4 March 2005outside the above targets
	They also wrote to his constituent on the following dates as a result of telephone contact with her:
	26 August 2004within 15 day target
	10 February 2005within 15 day target
	The Department aims to reply to the hon. Member's most recent letter within target.
	The Revenue's approach to paying compensation is outlined in their Code of Practice 1, 'Putting things right', which is available on the Department's website at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk and a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Defence

Keith Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the additional 400 million defence spending announced in his Budget statement of 16 March is (a) a provision for the cost of operations and (b) an addition to the Ministry of Defence's Request for Resources 1.

Paul Boateng: The 400 million has been added to the special reserve for the costs of military conflict in Iraq and other international obligations, as set out in paragraph 6.10 of Budget 2005 (HC 372).

Defence

Keith Simpson: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Ministry of Defence's departmental expenditure limit is for 200506.

Paul Boateng: The latest departmental expenditure limit figures for the Ministry of Defence for 200506 are in Table C13 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2005 (HC 372).
	These figures do not include the cost of current major operations.

Defence

Keith Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Ministry of Defence's near cash departmental expenditure limit is for 200506.

Paul Boateng: Table 13.1 of the 2004 Spending review (Cm 6237) sets out the cash equivalent of the Ministry of Defence's DEL.
	The figures in the table do not include the cost of current major operations.

Defence

Keith Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reasons are for the difference between the figures given for the special reserve provision in paragraph A137, page 202 and in table C13, page 261 of the Budget 2005 (HC 372).

Paul Boateng: Paragraph A137 sets out the additional provision that was allocated to the Special Reserve in Budget 2005. The line entitled Unallocated special reserve in Table C13 shows what remains in the special reserve after allocations to Departments.

Defence

Keith Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reasons are for the difference between the figures given for the Ministry of Defence's reserve budget in Spending Review 2004 (Cm 6237) and the Budget 2005 (HC 372).

Paul Boateng: There is no reserve budget specifically for the Ministry of Defence. However, since Spending Review 2004, the Government has added additional resources to its special reserve to make prudent provision for the costs of the military conflict in Iraq and its other international obligations.
	These additions are explained in paragraph 6.7 of Cm6408 (Pre-Budget Report 2004) and paragraph 6.10 of HC372 (Budget 2005).

eBay

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department sold any surplus stock on the eBay auction website, in each year since 200001.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 9 March 2005
	It has never been the practice of the Chancellor's Departments to dispose of surplus stock on the eBay website.

Employment

Brian Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people resident in each parliamentary constituency (a) in June 1997 and (b) on the latest date for which information is available were in employment.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Brian Wilson, dated 22 March 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment in each Parliamentary Constituency in the UK. I am replying in his absence. (222844)
	The attached three tables show the estimates of the numbers of people in employment, in each Parliamentary Constituency, respectively in England, Wales and Scotland in 1997 and 2004, the latest date for which information is available. These estimates from the Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
	Since the information in these tables is so extensive, copies have been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	Similar information for Parliamentary Constituencies in Northern Ireland is not available.

Employment

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the levels of long-term (a) adult and (b) youth employment in Edinburgh, North and Leith in the last seven years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Mark Lazarowicz, dated 22 March 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about long term unemployment in Edinburgh North and Leith. (222904)
	Information on the number of people who are unemployed is calculated from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). However, the LFS sample size for the Edinburgh North and Leith Parliamentary Constituency is too small to provide estimates on long-term unemployment.
	The Office for National Statistics also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for local areas including Parliamentary Constituencies. The table overleaf gives the annual average number of young people aged 18 to 24 years old and adults (aged 25 and over) resident in the Edinburgh North and Leith Parliamentary Constituency claiming JSA benefits for over 12 months in each year from 1998 to 2004.
	
		JSA claimants resident in the Edinburgh North and Leigh constituency claiming for 12 months or more
		
			 Annual averages Youth claimants (aged 18 to 24) Adult claimants (aged 25 and over) 
		
		
			 1998 60 445 
			 1999 15 500 
			 2000 5 405 
			 2001 5 255 
			 2002 5 160 
			 2003 5 220 
			 2004 10 230 
		
	
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus Administrative system

European Anti-Fraud Office

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions representatives of the European Anti-Fraud Office have visited the UK in the last two years.

Stephen Timms: The European Anti-Fraud Office makes visits to a number of Government Departments in the UK, but no record of these visits is held centrally.

Pilots (Flat Rate Expenses)

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the cost of the flat rate expenses allowance for pilots which was proposed to his Department in 2004; and if he will make it his policy to instruct the Inland Revenue to implement the proposed allowance.

Dawn Primarolo: The hon. Member's question concerns a particular case. It is subject to the normal rules of confidentiality that apply where taxpayers' affairs are concerned. Flat rate expense allowances are agreed with individual employers to reflect individual circumstances. The Inland Revenue is in discussion with the airline concerned to agree a flat rate expense allowance that reflects the appropriate level of expenses in line with the qualifying conditions set by tax law.

Income Tax

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the increase in revenue to the Exchequer of the introduction of a 49 per cent. rate of income tax on all incomes in excess of 100,000 for (a) 200506, (b) 200607, (c) 200708, (d) 200809 and (e) 200910.

Dawn Primarolo: Comprehensive information on income tax has been placed in the Library of the House, in the tables 'Additional full-year yield from the introduction of additional higher rates of tax on TAXABLE incomes over a specific amount in 200506' and 'Additional full-year yield from the introduction of additional higher rates of tax on GROSS incomes over a specific amount in 200506'.
	The income tax information is based upon the 200203 Survey of Personal Incomes and December 2004 pre-Budget assumptions and excludes any estimate of behavioural response to the tax change.
	Information for future years is currently unavailable but figures for 200607 will be available at the House of Commons Library by the end of April.

Motorcycles

Lembit �pik: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to apply the 1 per cent. discount for environmentally friendly company cars to environmentally friendly motorcycles; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The additional 1 per cent. discount will apply to the emissions-based company car tax system. This system does not apply to employer-provided motorcycles.

MRSA

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths from MRSA there have been in Coventry in each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jim Cunningham, dated 22 March 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths from MRSA there have been in Coventry in each of the last five years. (222947)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2003. Numbers of deaths where MRSA was a contributory factor are given in the table below.
	
		Number of deaths where MRSA was a contributory factor,(18) Coventry,(19) 19992003(20)
		
			  Number of deaths where MRSA was a contributory factor 
		
		
			 1999 10 
			 2000 6 
			 2001 5 
			 2002 (21) 
			 2003 (21) 
		
	
	(18)Identified using the methodology described in Griffiths C, Lamagni TL, Crowcroft NS, Duckworth G and Rooney C (2004) Trends in MRSA in England and Wales: analysis of morbidity and mortality data for 19932002. Health Statistics Quarterly 21, 1522.
	(19)Deaths to residents of this area
	(20)Figures are for deaths occurring in the years 1999 to 2003.
	(21)Fewer than 5 deaths
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the aspects of his Budget which extend to Northern Ireland.

Paul Boateng: The Northern Ireland economy is continuing to prosper through the Government's sound management of the economy with steady growth, low inflation and low unemployment. The Chancellor announced on 16 March a series of measures that further promote stability, higher productivity, employment, fairness and improved public services in Northern Ireland, including raising the threshold for stamp duty land tax from 60,000 to 120,000, and an increase in the child element of the child tax credit. The Chancellor also provided an additional 88 million for Northern Ireland departments as a consequence of English spending increases. It will be for Northern Ireland Ministers to decide how to allocate these sums. In addition 24 million was provided including to finance a 200 payment to over 65 pensioner ratepayer households equivalent to that in Great Britain. Further details of the Budget can be found in the Budget 2005 Report (HC 372).

Private Equity Industry

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he intends to differentiate between private equity houses working in collaboration, and non-collaborating private investors as part of the recent changes to (a) transfer pricing rules and (b) loan relationship rules.

Dawn Primarolo: Whether persons act together or independently is a matter of fact to be considered in the circumstances of any particular case.

Red Diesel

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the responses to the recent consultation on red diesel use for excepted vehicles.

John Healey: This consultation has only recently closed and responses are currently being analysed. A summary of responses to the consultation will be published in due course.

Stamp Duty

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the reduction in stamp duty yield from residential property which would result from raising the threshold at which one per cent. stamp duty starts from 120,000 to 150,000.

Stephen Timms: The estimated revenue cost in 200506 of restructuring stamp duty on residential property sales by raising the threshold from 120,000 to 150,000 is 210 million. This does not include any allowance for behavioural changes.

Stamp Duty

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what projections he has made of revenue from stamp duty on (a) property and (b) share transactions in each of the next three financial years.

Stephen Timms: Estimated and projected revenues for total stamp taxes in 200405 and 200506 are published in table C8 of the Budget 2005 report. The breakdown between duty on land and property (stamp duty land tax) and share transactions is given in the following table:
	
		 billion
		
			  200405 200506 
		
		
			 Stamp duty land tax 6.3 6.7 
			 Stamp taxes on shares 2.6 3.0

Stamp Duty/Air Passenger Duty

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised by (a) stamp duty on the purchase of residential properties and (b) air passenger duty on commercial flights departing from a UK airport in each tax year from 199495 to 200304.

Stephen Timms: Stamp duty receipts from residential property transactions are given in Table 15.2 of Inland Revenue Statistics: http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/stamp_duty/table15_2_october04.pdf. Historic Air Passenger Duty revenue figures can be found in table2.1D of Financial Statistics published by the Office for National Statistics, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

Stamp Duty/Air Passenger Duty

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the expected revenue from (a) stamp duty on the purchase of residential properties and (b) air passenger duty is in 200405.

Stephen Timms: Stamp duties are forecast to raise 8.9billion in 200405.
	Stamp duty Land Tax receipts from residential property for 200405 will be published later this year.
	Air passenger duty is forecast to raise 0.9 billion in 200405.

Stamp Duty/Air Passenger Duty

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many purchases of residential properties stamp duty has been charged in each tax year from 199495 to 200304.

Stephen Timms: The number of residential property purchases that were charged stamp duty in England and Wales from 199495 to 200304 is estimated in the following table.
	
		Estimated number of residential property transactions charged stamp duty
		
			  Thousand 
		
		
			 199405 445 
			 199506 374 
			 199697 482 
			 199798 570 
			 199899 589 
			 19992000 773 
			 200001 748 
			 200102 866 
			 200203 975 
			 200304 926

Stamp Duty/Air Passenger Duty

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1) how many passengers were exempt from paying airpassenger duty on commercial flights departing froma UK airport in each tax year from 199495 to 200304;
	(2)  how many passengers were charged air passenger duty on flights departing from a UK airport in each tax year from 199495 to 200304;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of revenue lost to the Treasury in each year from 199495 to 200304 due to the exemption from air passenger duty of transit and transfer passengers on flights departing from a UK airport.

John Healey: HM Customs and Excise does not collect figures on the number of passengers departing from UK airports who are exempt from paying the air passenger duty. It is therefore not possible to estimate the revenue loss from exempting from the air passenger duty transit and transfer passengers on flights departing from UK airports.
	Historic figures on the numbers of passengers travelling in each air passenger duty category are published in the air passenger duty bulletin, a copy of which can be found on the UK trade information website www.uktradeinfo.com.

Surplus Assets Sales

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of sales of surplus assets from his Department was in each year since 200001.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is as follows.
	
		Inland Revenue -- 000
		
			  Land and buildings Computers and office equipment Vehicles Total 
		
		
			 200001 
			 Net book value 1,164 2,458 6,107 9,729 
			 Proceeds of disposal17,954 
			 200102 
			 Net book value 0 2,749 2,825 5,574 
			 Proceeds of disposal3,032 
			 200203 
			 Net book value 225 3,709 5,227 9,161 
			 Proceeds of disposal5,718 
			 200304 
			 Net book value 377 1,223 1,087 2,687 
			 Proceeds of disposal1,263 
		
	
	
		HM Customs and Excise -- 000
		
			  Freehold properties Vessels Motor vehicles Total 
		
		
			 200001 
			 Cost   2,384 2,384 
			 Depn   -2,646 -2,646 
			 NBV   -262 -262 
			 Proceeds   73 73 
			  
			 200102 
			 Cost 1,000  2,150 3,150 
			 Depn -184  -1,553 -1,737 
			 NBV 816  597 1,413 
			 Proceeds 1,450  780 2,230 
			  
			 200203 
			 Cost 827  2,666 3,493 
			 Depn -100  -2,322 -2,422 
			 NBV 727  344 1,071 
			 Proceeds 1,400  220 1,620 
			  
			 200304 
			 Cost  4,855 3,286 8,141 
			 Depn  -4,290 -3,087 -7,377 
			 NBV  565 199 764 
			 Proceeds  443 272 715 
			  
			 200405  1,862 7,276 9,138 
			 Depn  -1,554 -7,894 -9,448 
			 NBV  308 618 926 
			 Proceeds  200 468 668 
		
	
	HM Treasury
	See information as follows taken from the published HM Treasury's Resource Accounts refer to Schedule 4Cash Flow Statement and associated notes:
	
		
			  Department Asset type Proceeds ( million) 
		
		
			 200001 HMT Post-privatisation investments (BT 102.6 million and PUK 25 million) 127.6 
			  HMT and OGC Misc. fixed assets 0.035 
			  OGC Surplus freehold property 8.16 
			 
			 200102 HMT Royal Mint PDC 1.5 
			  HMT Misc. fixed assets 0.083 
			  OGC Surplus freehold property 41.99 
			  OGC  0.014 
			 200203 HMT Post-privatisation investments (includes Powergen 19.7 million, Innogy  2.1 million and Railtrack 1.3 million) 14.2 
			  HMT Misc. fixed assets 0.4 
			  OGC Misc. fixed assets 1.59 
			  OGC Surplus freehold property 74.09 
			 200304 HMT Misc. fixed assets 0.016 
			 200405 HMT 1 Parliament street 22 
			  HMT Post-privatisation investments (includes International Pwr 1.2 million) 1.68 
			  OGC No material items expected  
		
	
	(22)Schedule 4 does not include 3.5 million not received till 200304 (see schedule 1)

Tax (Administration Costs)

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the administration costs associated with each tax and duty were in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage of revenues raised by each tax and duty was accounted for by administration costs.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue's estimated gross administration costs by tax and duty in 200304 were as follows.
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 Income tax 1,671.4 
			 Corporation tax 348.5 
			 National insurance contributions 315.3 
			 Petroleum revenue tax 2.1 
			 Capital gains tax 47.4 
			 Inheritance tax 31.4 
			 Stamp taxes 32.6 
		
	
	These taxes are all collected by the Inland Revenue and incur administration costs.
	The cost of collection of these taxes in 200304, expressed as pence per pound collected, is available from Table 1, Appendix 1 of the Inland Revenue Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2004.
	HM Customs and Excise does not routinely collect information on the costs of its activities by each tax and duty stream and I am not able therefore to provide the detailed cost information you request. Information on aggregate resource usage against each of the Department's high-level objectives and on the costs of the operations of HM Customs and Excise is available in the published Annual Report and Accounts.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credits payments have been calculated and paid manually in each month in the current tax year.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 14 March 2005
	Around 334,000 such payments were made from April 2004 to February 2005 broken down:
	
		
			 Month No of Payments (000) 
		
		
			 April 2004 35 
			 May 2004 20 
			 June 2004 20 
			 July 2004 30 
			 August 2004 30 
			 September 2004 30 
			 October 2004 35 
			 November2004 40 
			 December2004 40 
			 January 2005 30 
			 February 2005 35 
		
	
	The allocation of payments to precise payment dates requires a degree of estimation and are therefore rounded to the nearest 5,000.

Tax Credits

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the statistics relating to tax credits, which, since 1997 (a) are no longer collected by his Department and (b) have had the way in which the figures are compiled changed.

Dawn Primarolo: Tax credits were first introduced in 1999. Therefore prior to this the Inland Revenue did not collect or compile any statistics relating to tax credits. In April 2003, working families tax credit (WFTC) and disabled persons tax credit (DPTC) were replaced by child and working tax credits. Statistics on WFTC and DPTC (for the period 19992003) and child and working tax credits (from 2003 onwards) are published on the Inland Revenue website at www.ir.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases where compensation has been awarded to a tax credit claimant for overpayment the compensation was worth (a) zero to 5 per cent., (b) 5 to 10 per cent., (c) 10 to 15 per cent., (d) 15 to 20 per cent., (e) 20 to 25 per cent., (f) 25 to 30 per cent., (g) 30 to 35 per cent., (h) 35 to 40 per cent., (i) 45 to 50 per cent. and (j) over 50 per cent. of the total overpayment.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 18 March 2005
	The information is not available.

Tax Credits

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria are used for charging interest where an individual has been overpaid tax credits.

Dawn Primarolo: Interest is charged only where an overpayment of tax credits has arisen due to fraud or neglect on the part of the person or persons making the claim.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households experienced changes in circumstances resulting in a mid-year adjustment to a tax credits award in 200304; and what estimate the Inland Revenue has made of the number of households which are likely to have experienced a change in circumstances in the 200405 tax year.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 21 March 2005
	This information is not available.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research has been undertaken by the Inland Revenue into the likelihood of claimants reporting changes in circumstances affecting a tax credit award.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 21 March 2005
	Irefer my right hon. Friend to the HM Treasury Document The Child and Working Tax Credits, The Modernisation of Britain's Tax and Benefit System, Number Ten, April 2002, Chapter 4.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 14 March 2005, Official Report, column 85W, on tax credits, how many TC 846 forms for the (a) 200304 and (b) 200405 tax year have been returned.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 21 March 2005
	The information requested is not available.

Tax Credits

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid out to date for each tax creditin (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Wales; how many households are in receipt of each tax credit in each case; and what the administration costs associated with each tax credit to date are (i) in total and (ii) as a percentage of the expenditure on that tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: Total UK payments for working tax credit and child tax credit appear in the Inland Revenue Annual and Accounts for the year ending 31 March 2004. Exact figures for each country are not readily available.
	Estimates of the numbers of in-work families in each country receiving working tax credit and child tax credit appear in Child and Working Tax Credits. December 2004. This can be found on the Inland Revenue website at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm
	The costs of managing and paying tax credits for 200304 are given in the Inland Revenue Annual and Accounts for the year ending 31 March 2004.

Tax Credits

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people with income greater than (a) 15,000, (b) 20,000, (c) 25,000 and (d) 30,000 are in receipt of tax credits; what percentage of total expenditure on tax credits has gone to people in each category to date; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Child and Working Tax Credits: December 2004 contains analyses of families receiving tax credits at December 2004. It can be found on the Inland Revenue website at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm. Table 6.1 shows an analysis of in-work recipient families by band of income used to taper the awards. Estimates are based on a sample of cases and are subject to sampling uncertainty.
	The figures for the bands requested, on the same basis and excluding those with awards tapered to zero at that date, are: Thousands
	
		
			  Numbers in receipt of tax credit 
		
		
			 (a) greater than 15,000 3,112.1 
			 (b) greater than 20,000 2,597.3 
			 (c) greater than 25,000 2,011.4 
			 (d) greater than 30,000 1,388.8 
		
	
	Analyses of the value of awards will be published on 31 May 2005.

Tax Credits

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue expects to correct the payments of working tax credit to Vanessa Bates; and when he expects to reply to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Bassetlaw relating to her case.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 18 March 2005
	TheInland Revenue replied to the hon. Member on 11 January 2005. They will send him a copy of their letter.
	On 8 March 2005, the Department wrote to the hon. Member's constituent about her Working Tax Credit (WTC) and has since corrected her payments.

Terrorist Assets

Rudi Vis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money suspected of being linked to terrorist assets (a) worldwide and (b) in the United Kingdom has been frozen since 11 September 2001.

Stephen Timms: Since 11 September 2001, 44 accounts totalling some 347,000 have been frozen in the UK. In total, 45 accounts, totalling some 378,000, are currently frozen by UK financial institutions. There is no global figure of the total assets frozenmonitoring frozen funds is a matter for individual jurisdictions.
	All organisations and individuals whose assets have been frozen in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions, associated EC Regulations and domestic legislation are listed, by HM Treasury instruction, on the Bank of England's Financial Sanctions website. Asset freezing is an essential measure in countering the financing of terrorism by denying terrorists and their financiers access to funds across the world. Taking action not only freezes any funds in the UK but creates a hostile environment to deter terrorists from using the UK's financial system in future.

Transfer Pricing/Loan Relationship Rules

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on recent changes to (a) transfer pricing rules and (b) loan relationship rules.

Dawn Primarolo: I made a written statement to the House on 4 March 2005, Official Report, column 97WS.

Transfer Pricing/Loan Relationship Rules

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1) what discussions took place with the private equity industry prior to the recent changes to (a) transfer pricing rules and (b) loan relationship rules;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with representatives of the private equity industry regarding recent changes to (a) transfer pricing rules and (b) loan relationship rules.

Dawn Primarolo: Following representations made by the British Venture Capital Association concerning the application of transfer pricing rules, officials from HM Treasury and Inland Revenue met representatives of the association on a number of occasions. Further meetings are being arranged.

Transfer Pricing/Loan Relationship Rules

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the changes in tax revenue which will result from recent changes to (a) transfer pricing rules and (b) loan relationship rules.

Dawn Primarolo: The changes prevent tax avoidance that could otherwise have reduced current and future tax revenues of about 300 million a year.

Transfer Pricing/Loan Relationship Rules

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of recent changes to (a) transfer pricing rules and (b) loan relationship rules on (i) the private equity industry and (ii) the City of London.

Dawn Primarolo: The changes ensure that the tax rules provide a level playing field for different investors. The UK will continue to be an alternative location for private equity investment and the private equity industry. The new rules are in line with those of our major competitors such as the USA and Germany.

VAT (Universities)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many universities do not comply with Customs and Excise's preferred partial exemption method for VAT.

Dawn Primarolo: Customs and Excise do not have a preferred partial exemption method for universities or for any other organisation. Partly exempt organisations can either operate the standard method of partial exemption or, if they feel this is not suitable for them, they can seek approval for a special method that is individually tailored to their circumstances. Most universities prefer to operate a special method. Customs will approve any special method that is fair and reasonable.
	There is no definitive figure for the number of universities that operate partial exemption methods acceptable to Customs. This is because each university's VAT affairs are specific to them and change continually.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Burmese Teak

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of whether national lottery grants have been awarded to projects using Burmese teak.

Estelle Morris: The Department's lottery awards database does not hold information about the materials used in lottery-supported construction projects.
	Lottery distributors are obliged to take into account policy directions from the Secretary of State. These directions set out the framework for the wider aims of lottery funding, and include the need for the distributing bodies to further the objectives of sustainable development when awarding lottery grants. The lottery distributing bodies are strongly committed to sustainable development, including the procurement of timber from legal and sustainable sources.

Food Advertising

Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what research she has commissioned on changes in the trends in food advertising on television and radio that have occurred since the publication of the White Paper on public health.

Estelle Morris: None. Ofcom's work on options for tightening the rules on broadcast food promotion to children will include original research on the volume, frequency and nature of food and drink advertising and the Department of Health and Food Standards Agency will look to establish success criteria for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of action to restrict further the promotion to children of foods high in fat, salt and sugar across media, consulting my Department and Ofcom as necessary.

Licensing

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact of the recent changes to licensing legislation on small licensed hotels and guest houses, with particular reference to costs.

Richard Caborn: There were full public consultations with regard to the Licensing Bill, the draft fees and draft regulations. A full Regulatory Impact Assessment was provided to Parliament with the Bill and it is available in the Library of the House. I am satisfied that the fee regulations and order are proportionate and fair and that the 2003 Act will not place an undue burden on small businesses, such as small licensed hotels and guest houses. Indeed, I expect the combined effects of reduced bureaucracy in the new systemthrough integrating six existing licensing regimes into oneand the encouragement of a more diverse offer to tourists will greatly benefit this important sector.

Scanners

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) MRI scanners, (b) CT scanners and (c) other scanners have been purchased for the NHS from monies provided by the New Opportunities Fund; which hospitals have received them; and in which year they were acquired.

Estelle Morris: holding answer 18 March 2005
	The New Opportunities Fund has awarded funding to the following hospitals for MRI/CT and other scanners, in the years 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2004. The dates of purchase are not known centrally. No awards were made in 2000 or 2003.
	
		Hospitals allocated funding for scanners by the New Opportunities Fund in 1999
		
			 Hospital MRI CT Other 
		
		
			 Addenbrooke's Hospital NHS Trust   6 
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust   5 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHST   8 
			 Barnsley District General Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 Barts and The London NHS Trust   6 
			 Basildon and Thurrock General Hospitals NHS Trust 1  0 
			 Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull NHS Trust   2 
			 Blackburn Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust   4 
			 Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust   7 
			 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust   7 
			 Burton Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Bury Health Care NHS Trust   1 
			 Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust 1  0 
			 Carlisle Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospital NHS Trust 1  2 
			 Christie Hospital NHS Trust   4 
			 Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology NHS Trust 1  3 
			 Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust 1  0 
			 Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust 1  5 
			 East Cheshire NHS Trust   2 
			 East Gloucestershire NHS Trust   5 
			 East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust 1  6 
			 Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust   3 
			 Forest Healthcare NHS Trust   1 
			 Gateshead Health NHS Trust   5 
			 Gloustershire Hospitals NHS Trust 1  0 
			 Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust 1  0 
			 Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust 1  2 
			 Hammersmith Hospitals NHST   11 
			 Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust 1  4 
			 Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust   4 
			 James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust   1 
			 Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust   2 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Trust 1  6 
			 Kings Lynn and Wisbech Hospitals NHS Trust 1  3 
			 Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust   9 
			 Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust   4 
			 Medway NHS Trust   3 
			 Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Mid Essex Community and Mental Health NHS Trust   3 
			 Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust   2 
			 Milton Keynes General NHS Trust   3 
			 Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust 1  3 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust 1  11 
			 Norfolk and Norwich Health Care NHS Trust   1 
			 North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust   4 
			 North Cumbria Healthcare NHS Trust   3 
			 North Durham Health Care NHS Trust 1  0 
			 North East Lincolnshire NHS Trust   1 
			 North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust   4 
			 North Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust   3 
			 North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust   7 
			 Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust   2 
			 Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust   8 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust 1  3 
			 Peterborough Hospital NHS Trust   2 
			 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust 2  4 
			 Poole Hospital NHS Trust   5 
			 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust   4 
			 Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 1  2 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust   3 
			 Queen Medical Centre Nottingham 1  0 
			 Redditch and Bromsgrove Primary Care Trust   5 
			 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust   1 
			 Rotherham General Hospitals NHS Trust   3 
			 Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust   6 
			 Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust 1  3 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare NHS Trust   2 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 1  0 
			 Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust   7 
			 Royal Shrewsbury Hospitals NHS Trust   6 
			 Royal United Hospital Bath NHST   1 
			 Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust 1  1 
			 Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospital NHS Trust   5 
			 Sandwell Healthcare NHS Trust   3 
			 Scunthorpe and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Trust 1  6 
			 Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust   2 
			 South Buckinghamshire NHS Trust   3 
			 South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust   2 
			 South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust 1  9 
			 South Tees Acute Hospital NHS Trust 1  0 
			 South Warwickshire General Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 1  5 
			 Southend Hospital NHS Trust   3 
			 Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 1  4 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust   7 
			 St Helen's and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Stoke Mandeville Hospital   3 
			 Surrey Hampshire Borders NHST   5 
			 Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust   4 
			 Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust 1  3 
			 The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 1  7 
			 The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust   6 
			 The Royal Marsden NHS Trust 2  2 
			 The University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust 1  0 
			 United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust   8 
			 United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust   8 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust 1  6 
			 University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 1  10 
			 University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust   4 
			 University of North Staffordshire NHS Trust   2 
			 Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust   3 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 1  2 
			 Wigan and Leigh Health Services NHS Trust   3 
			 Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust   1 
			 Worthing and Southlands NHS Trust   5 
			 York Health Services NHS Trust   3 
		
	
	
		Hospitals allocated funding for scanners by the New Opportunities Fund in 2001
		
			 Hospital MRI CT Other 
		
		
			 Addenbrooke's Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHST   1 
			 Barnsley District General Hospital NHS Trust   2 
			 Barts and The London NHS Trust   1 
			 Blackburn Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust   1 
			 Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust   3 
			 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust   2 
			 Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 East Cheshire NHS Trust   1 
			 East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust   2 
			 Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust   1 
			 Gateshead Health NHS Trust   1 
			 Hammersmith Hospitals NHST   2 
			 Heatherwood and Wexham Park NHS Trust   1 
			 Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust   1 
			 James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust   1 
			 Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Trust   2 
			 Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust   3 
			 Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust   2 
			 Medway NHS Trust   2 
			 Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust   2 
			 Norfolk and Norwich Health Care NHS Trust 1   
			 Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust   2 
			 North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 North Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust   2 
			 Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust   2 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Poole Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Redditch and Bromsgrove Primary Care Trust   1 
			 Rotherham General Hospitals NHS Trust   2 
			 Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust   2 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare NHS Trust   1 
			 Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Royal Shrewsbury Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 South Buckinghamshire NHS Trust   1 
			 South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust   2 
			 Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Stoke Mandeville Hospital   1 
			 Surrey Hampshire Borders NHS Trust   2 
			 Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust   1 
			 Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust   1 
			 The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust   3 
			 United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust   3 
			 United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust   3 
			 University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust   1 
			 University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust   1 
			 University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust   1 
			 University of North Staffordshire NHS Trust   1 
			 Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust   1 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 Wigan and Leigh Health Services NHS Trust   1 
			 Wirral Hospital NHS Trust   1 
			 Worthing and Southlands NHS Trust   2 
			 York Health Services NHS Trust   2 
		
	
	
		Hospitals allocated funding for scanners by the New Opportunities Fund in 2002
		
			 Hospital MRI CT Other 
		
		
			 Barts and the London NHS Trust 1   
			 Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull NHS Trust 1   
			 Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust 1   
			 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 1   
			 Bronglais General Hospital, Aberystwyth   1 
			 Burnley Health Care NHS Trust 1   
			 East Cheshire NHS Trust 1   
			 East Somerset NHS Trust 1   
			 Gateshead Health NHS Trust 1   
			 Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Trust 1   
			 Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 1   
			 Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 1   
			 North Bristol NHS Trust 1   
			 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 1   
			 Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport   1 
			 Royal Shrewsbury Hospital NHS Trust 1   
			 Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust 1   
			 Singleton Hospital, Swansea   1 
			 Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust 1   
			 The Ulster Hospital, Dundonald, Belfast  1  
			 University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust 1   
			 University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 1   
			 Velindre Hospital, Cardiff 1   
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 1   
		
	
	
		Hospitals allocated funding for scanners by the New Opportunities Fund in 2004
		
			 Hospital MRI CT Other 
		
		
			 Aberdeen Royal Infirmary  1  
			 Antrim Hospital, County Antrim 1   
			 Borders General Hospital, Melrose 1  1 
			 Craigavon Hospital, County Armagh 1   
			 Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary   1 
			 Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary   1 
			 Lorn and Islands District General Hospital, Oban   1 
			 Stirling Royal Infirmary   2 
			 The Belford Hospital, Fort William   1 
			 The Raigmore Hospital, Inverness   1 
			 The Ulster Hospital, Dundonald, Belfast 1   
		
	
	In addition to the awards made, funding from the New Opportunities Fund totalling 4,986,197 has been allocated under the Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke and Cancer Programme Wales for the purchase of Angiography equipment for six NHS trusts in Wales. To date, only one trust, Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust, has purchased equipment, as most of the trusts have had to do a capital build to house equipment.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list local authority wards where 50 per cent. or more of children are in families receiving out-of-work means-tested benefits.

Chris Pond: The information is in the following table.
	
		Children in families receiving income support (IS) or income-based jobseekers allowance (JSA) at August 2003: by local authority and census ward
		
			 Local authority Ward Children 0 to 15 in families receiving IS or JSA 2001 census population aged 0 to 15 Percentage children (0 to 15) in families receiving either IS, JSA 
		
		
			 Allerdale Moss Bay 520 977 53.2 
			 Barking and Dagenham Gascoigne 1,260 2,438 51.7 
			 Barking and Dagenham Thames 1,075 2,047 52.5 
			 Birmingham Nechells 4,210 8,058 52.2 
			 Blackburn with Darwen Shadsworth with Whitebirk 1,090 2,173 50.2 
			 Brent Harlesden 1,670 2,906 57.5 
			 Brent Stonebridge 2,240 4,413 50.8 
			 Bridgend Bettws 275 501 54.9 
			 Bristol, City of Lawrence Hill 1,565 2,131 73.4 
			 Camden Kilburn 865 1,729 50.0 
			 Cardiff Adamsdown 675 1,201 56.2 
			 Cardiff Butetown 455 869 52.4 
			 Denbighshire Rhyl West 495 850 58.2 
			 East Ayrshire Shortlees 540 1,032 52.3 
			 Edinburgh, City of Craigmillar 1,150 1,657 69.4 
			 Glasgow City Anderston 335 567 59.1 
			 Glasgow City Barlanark 1,105 1,935 57.1 
			 Glasgow City Braidfauld 880 1,554 56.6 
			 Glasgow City Bridgeton/Dalmarnock 610 992 61.5 
			 Glasgow City Glenwood 1,175 1,978 59.4 
			 Glasgow City Hutchesontown 675 1,014 66.6 
			 Glasgow City Ibrox 725 1,428 50.8 
			 Glasgow City Keppochhill 790 1,407 56.1 
			 Glasgow City Milton 800 1,503 53.2 
			 Glasgow City Parkhead 1,015 1,476 68.8 
			 Glasgow City Queenslie 890 1,477 60.3 
			 Glasgow City Summerhill 1,090 1,923 56.7 
			 Glasgow City Toryglen 655 1,310 50.0 
			 Great Yarmouth Nelson 845 1,538 54.9 
			 Greenwich Woolwich Riverside 1,655 3,213 51.5 
			 Hackney Chatham 1,335 2,385 56.0 
			 Hackney Haggerston 1,195 2,344 51.0 
			 Hackney Hoxton 1,090 2,111 51.6 
			 Hackney Queensbridge 1,170 2,219 52.7 
			 Hackney Victoria 1,400 2,788 50.2 
			 Hackney Wick 1,310 2,594 50.5 
			 Halton Windmill Hill 400 690 58.0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham College Park and Old Oak 840 1,461 57.5 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham Wormholt and White City 1,405 2,728 51.5 
			 Haringey Noel Park 1,235 2,207 56.0 
			 Haringey Northumberland Park 1,815 3,302 55.0 
			 Haringey St. Ann's 1,225 2,367 51.8 
			 Haringey Tottenham Green 1,465 2,652 55.2 
			 Haringey Tottenham Hale 1,670 3,294 50.7 
			 Haringey White Hart Lane 1,720 3,176 54.2 
			 Highland Merkinch 415 732 56.7 
			 Inverclyde Ward 8 340 580 58.6 
			 Islington Bunhill 905 1,692 53.5 
			 Islington Finsbury Park 1,260 2,432 51.8 
			 Islington Holloway 1,015 1,911 53.1 
			 Islington Mildmay 1,095 2,182 50.2 
			 Kingston upon Hull Myton 990 1,792 55.2 
			 Kingston upon Hull Orchard Park and Greenwood 2,025 4,051 50.0 
			 Kingston upon Hull St. Andrew's 755 1,430 52.8 
			 Knowsley Cantril Farm 595 988 60.2 
			 Knowsley Cherryfield 715 1,283 55.7 
			 Knowsley Kirby Central 825 1,484 55.6 
			 Knowsley Longview 995 1,511 65.9 
			 Knowsley Northwood 525 1,014 51.8 
			 Knowsley Princess 1,210 1,718 70.4 
			 Knowsley Tower Hill 1,315 2,589 50.8 
			 Lambeth Tulse Hill 1,415 2,749 51.5 
			 Leicester Charnwood 1,510 3,014 50.1 
			 Leicester Freemen 1,165 2,272 51.3 
			 Liverpool Abercromby 860 1,307 65.8 
			 Liverpool Breckfield 1,515 2,347 64.6 
			 Liverpool Everton 840 1,172 71.7 
			 Liverpool Granby 1,885 2,452 76.9 
			 Liverpool Kensington 1,340 2,523 53.1 
			 Liverpool Melrose 1,470 2,777 52.9 
			 Liverpool Pirrie 1,655 3,244 51.0 
			 Liverpool Smithdown 1,020 1,956 52.1 
			 Liverpool Speke 1,325 2,302 57.6 
			 Liverpool Vauxhall 900 1,359 66.2 
			 Manchester Ardwick 1,260 1,958 64.4 
			 Manchester Benchill 1,695 3,096 54.7 
			 Manchester Beswick and Clayton 1,485 2,314 64.2 
			 Manchester Blackley 1,240 2,327 53.3 
			 Manchester Bradford 1,485 2,120 70.0 
			 Manchester Central 950 1,609 59.0 
			 Manchester Cheetham 1,975 3,630 54.4 
			 Manchester Gorton South 1,725 2,985 57.8 
			 Manchester Harpurhey 1,545 2,017 76.6 
			 Manchester Hulme 1,080 1,500 72.0 
			 Manchester Moss Side 2,020 2,804 72.0 
			 Manchester Newton Heath 1,295 2,540 51.0 
			 Merthyr Tydfil Gurnos 630 1,221 51.6 
			 Middlesbrough Middlehaven 465 823 56.5 
			 Middlesbrough Park End 905 1,801 50.2 
			 Middlesbrough Thorntree 1,025 1,766 58.0 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Byker 840 1,509 55.7 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Elswick 1,000 1,948 51.3 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Moorside 725 1,228 59.0 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Walker 940 1,703 55.2 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne West City 635 888 71.5 
			 Newham Canning Town North 1,665 3,105 53.6 
			 Newham Canning Town South 1,940 2,987 64.9 
			 Newham Royal Docks 910 1,497 60.8 
			 Newport Pillgwenlly 775 1,437 53.9 
			 Newport Tredegar Park 540 1,070 50.5 
			 North Lanarkshire Craigneuk 465 925 50.3 
			 Nottingham Aspley 2,775 5,029 55.2 
			 Nottingham Bridge 830 1,607 51.6 
			 Nottingham St Ann's 1,445 2,458 58.8 
			 Preston Ribbleton 1,005 1,983 50.7 
			 Redcar and Cleveland Grangetown 990 1,880 52.7 
			 Renfrewshire Ferguslie 690 1,357 50.8 
			 Renfrewshire Paisley Central 225 375 60.0 
			 Renfrewshire St. James 320 486 65.8 
			 Rhondda, Cynon, Taff Maerdy 360 702 51.3 
			 Salford Blackfriars 765 1,211 63.2 
			 Salford Ordsall 745 1,014 73.5 
			 Salford Pendleton 790 1,341 58.9 
			 Sandwell Soho and Victoria 1,185 2,129 55.7 
			 Sefton Linacre 1,815 3,418 53.1 
			 Shepway Folkestone Harvey Central 315 622 50.6 
			 Southwark Livesey 1,535 2,916 52.6 
			 Stockton-on-Tees Portrack and Tilery 540 1,052 51.3 
			 Swansea Penderry 1,545 2,804 55.1 
			 Swansea Townhill 1,220 2,216 55.1 
			 Torfaen Cwmyniscoy 145 248 58.5 
			 Tower Hamlets Blackwall and Cubitt Town 1,160 2,124 54.6 
			 Tower Hamlets Bow East 1,045 1,549 67.5 
			 Tower Hamlets Bromley-by-Bow 1,785 3,416 52.3 
			 Tower Hamlets East India and Lansbury 1,795 3,114 57.6 
			 Tower Hamlets Limehouse 1,540 2,903 53.0 
			 Tower Hamlets Mile End East St. Dunstan's and Stepney 1,530 2,809 54.5 
			 Tower Hamlets Green 1,980 3,310 59.8 
			 Wandsworth Latchmere 1,245 2,475 50.3 
			 Westminster Church Street 1,300 1,297 100.2 
			 Westminster Harrow Road 990 1,640 60.4 
			 Westminster Queen's Park 1,470 2,018 72.8 
			 Westminster Westbourne 1,425 2,121 67.2 
			 Wirral Bidston 1,660 2,934 56.6 
			 Wirral Birkenhead 1,975 3,052 64.7 
			 Wirral Tranmere 1,910 3,171 60.2 
			 Wrexham Wynnstay 330 634 52.1 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.All wards based on census wardsthose current as at April 2003.
	2.Income support (IS) and jobseekers allowance (JSA) data is based on the latest published data relating to August 2003.
	3.JSA includes children within families claiming income based JSA only. IS includes children in all claims including those for minimum income guarantee.
	4.All benefit counts at ward level are rounded to a multiple of 5 to protect the confidentiality of individual claimants and their families.
	5.The total children aged 0 to 15 at ward level are based on the relevant 2001 census.
	6.The anomaly in the data for Westminster, Church Street is caused by either population changes between 2001 (census data) and 2003 (benefit data) or undercounting in the census.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, Department for Work and Pensions.

Council Tax Assistance

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Morecambe and Lunesdale he expects will benefit from the 200 council tax assistance.

Malcolm Wicks: We estimate that about 13,000 pensioners in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency will benefit from the 200 council tax assistance.
	Note:
	Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the ONS postcode directory.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre

Judicial Appointments

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time judicial appointments have been made to the Appeal Service and its predecessors in each year since 1975, broken down by gender.

Christopher Leslie: I have been asked to reply.
	The gender split for full-time and part-time appointments to the appeals service for each year between 19992004 is set out in the following table. These figures are obtained from the Judicial Appointments Annual Report to Parliament for each of the financial years covering this period. The figures originate from the judicial database and reflect the information held on the database at the time of obtaining the statistical report.
	Only partial figures between 1975 and 1998 are available, and those can be determined only at disproportionate cost.
	
		Appointments to the appeals servicefee-paid judicial officers
		
			 1 April to 31 March: Male Female Total 
		
		
			 19992000 (23)1,371 (23)730 (23)2,101 
			 200001 83 48 131 
			 200102 52 37 89 
			 200203 55 47 102 
			 200304 32 11 43 
		
	
	(23)Figures include the appointment of in-post Independent Tribunal Service officers as judicial officers for the Appeal Service.
	
		Salaried judicial officers
		
			 1 April to 31 March: Male Female Total 
		
		
			 19992000
			 200001 1  1 
			 200102 2 5 7 
			 200203
			 200304 5 7 12

Low-income Households

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) pensioners have and (b) children are in families with an income of less than (i) 40 per cent., (ii) 50 per cent. and (iii) 60 per cent. of average earnings in (A) the UK, (B) Scotland, (C)England and (D) Wales.

Chris Pond: Robust estimates of the number of individuals in low income, within all countries of Great Britain, are not available. We have therefore presented all estimates as proportions.
	The following table shows the proportion of pensioners living in households with income below thresholds of national mean income in Great Britain in 200203.
	
		The proportion of pensioners with income below thresholds of GB mean income, for selected countries, 200203
		
			  Thresholds 
			  Below 40 per cent. mean Below 50 per cent. mean Below 60 per cent. mean 
		
		
			 Before housing costs 
			 UK 10 23 38 
			 England 10 23 38 
			 Scotland 8 22 40 
			 Wales 8 20 37 
			 
			 After housing costs 
			 UK 9 23 40 
			 England 10 24 40 
			 Scotland 8 23 39 
			 Wales 7 18 36 
		
	
	The following table shows the proportion of children living in households with income below thresholds of national mean income in Great Britain in 200203.
	
		The proportion of children with income below thresholds of GB mean income, for selected countries, 200203
		
			  Thresholds 
			  Below 40 per cent. mean Below 50 per cent. mean Below 60 per cent. mean 
		
		
			 Before housing costs 
			 UK 10 22 36 
			 England 10 22 35 
			 Scotland 10 24 38 
			 Wales 10 27 43 
			 
			 After housing costs 
			 UK 18 30 40 
			 England 18 30 40 
			 Scotland 16 27 40 
			 Wales 19 34 45 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Figures in the 'below 40 per cent. mean' column should be treated with caution and are considered less robust than results using higher thresholds.
	2.The estimates are based on sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that control for tenure, council tax band and a number of other variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error, and to remaining variability in non-response which is not corrected by the grossing regime.
	Further information regarding low income for the United Kingdom is available in 'Households Below Average Income 199495 to 200203', a copy of which is held in the Library.

Low-income Households

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Workand Pensions how many people in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Wales live in households with income less than (i) 8,000, (ii) 10,000, (iii) 12,000, (iv) 14,000 and (v) 16,000.

Chris Pond: The information available is in the tables.
	
		Percentage of individuals 200203
		
			 Total household income at 200203 prices United Kingdom 
		
		
			 Less than  
			 8,000 6 
			 10,000 12 
			 12,000 17 
			 14,000 23 
			 16,000 28 
		
	
	Source:
	200203 Family Resources Survey, United Kingdom
	
		Percentage of individuals, 200001 to 200203
		
			 Total household income at 200203 prices Scotland England Wales 
		
		
			 Less than
			 8,000 8 7 8 
			 10,000 14 12 14 
			 12,000 20 17 22 
			 14,000 27 23 28 
			 16,000 32 28 35 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.All figures are estimates and are taken from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). Due to regional volatility, regional estimates are based on a three year average from 200001 to 200203. The UK estimate is for 200203 only, as the FRS did not cover Northern Ireland until 200203.
	2.Results are presented as percentages as these can be estimated more reliably.
	3.Figures are based on a total income at 200203 prices.
	4.The FRS is not designed to collect information on annual income. Earnings figures are based on last usual pay. Annual income is estimated by assuming that the income for the relevant period applied for the whole year.
	5.The figures relate to the percentage of individuals, including both adults and children, in households whose household income was in the band shown.
	6.The estimates are based on sample counts that have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors. Estimates are subject to sampling error and remaining response bias.
	7.Total weekly household income consists of total income from all sources before deduction of income tax and national insurance. This includes all tax credits.
	8.Total income has not been adjusted for family size.
	Source:
	200001, 200102 and 200203 Family Resources Survey, Great Britain

Unemployment Programme

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Perth (Annabelle Ewing) of 10 March 2005, Official Report, column 2021W, on Unemployment Programme, if he will provide the figures for the (a) new deal for lone parents, (b) new deal for 25 plus or long-term unemployed, (c) new deal for partners and (d) new deal for disabled people for each year since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is in table 7 on page 171 of the 2004 DWP departmental report, which is available in the Library.

Unemployment

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what he estimates the cost of benefits paid to people who were unemployed and seeking work in the City of York was in (a) 199697 and (b) 200405, at 200405 prices.

Chris Pond: The information is not available in the format requested. The information for housing benefit and council tax benefit is not available at this level. The available information is in the table.
	
		Jobseeker's allowance expenditure in City of York council area --  million, real terms, 200405 prices
		
			  199697 200405 
		
		
			 Jobseeker's allowance   
			 Contribution based 2.9 1.2 
			 Income based 4.2 2.7 
			 Total jobseekers allowance benefits 7.1 3.9 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.All figures have been rounded to the nearest 100,000.
	2.The information relates to the City of York local authority area.
	3.Figures are consistent with the pre-Budget report 2004 and with expenditure information published on the internet at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp (table 1)
	Source:
	Expenditure has been taken from departmental accounting systems and has been apportioned using 5 per cent. sample data for the relevant benefits.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Morecambe and Lunesdale received the winter fuel allowance in winter 200405.

Malcolm Wicks: Information on the number of pensioners in Morecambe and Lunesdale who receive the winter fuel payment is in the Library.

HEALTH

MRI Scanners

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the co-ordination of national contracts for MRI scanners with individual NHS hospital trust MRI scanner provision.

John Hutton: It is for strategic health authorities and primary care trusts to ensure that the additional capacity procured through this exercise fits with what is required locally, together with future investment in diagnostic services delivered by the national health service.
	The independent sector procurement programme is already helping to deliver faster access to high quality diagnostic tests, including magnetic resonance imaging scans. This is excellent news for patients.

Neurological Intensive Care Beds

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many neurological intensive care beds there are in England.

Stephen Ladyman: As at 13 January 2005, there were 80neurological intensive care beds in England.
	The National Service Framework for Long Term Conditions, published on 10 March, sets out our vision for further improving access to health and social care for people with neurological conditions.

Dementia

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of drugs to treat dementia.

John Reid: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has recently produced draft guidance on the use of drugs for Alzheimer's disease. This guidance is currently out for consultation. We will be responding shortly, and will seek to highlight the issues that we believe to be important.

Bluebell Surgery, Colchester

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an official visit to the Bluebell surgery at Highwoods, Colchester to discuss the standard of accommodation.

Stephen Ladyman: I have no immediate plans to visit the Bluebell surgery in Colchester. However, I am advised that Colchester primary care trust has recently confirmed its commitment to building a new community facility that will also provide accommodation for staff and patients of the Bluebell surgery.

NHS Staff

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) other professionals in the NHS are foreign nationals or were trained abroad.

John Hutton: Data of the nationality of doctors, nurse and other professionals working in the national health service are not held centrally.

NHS Staff

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) clinical staff were employed in (i) north and east Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire strategic health authority, (ii)Selby and York primary care trust and (iii) York hospitals NHS trust in (A) 1997 and (B) 2004.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table. Figures are not yet available for 2004.
	
		National health service hospital and community health services: Non-medical staff by main staff group in the specified organisations as at 30 September each year -- Headcount
		
			  1997 2003 
		
		
			 North and east Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire strategic health authority 
			 Professionally qualified clinical staff 14,596 17,532 
			 Qualified nursing staff (including practice nurses) 9,347 10,598 
			 Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff (ST and T) 2,453 3,310 
			 General medical practitioners (excluding retainers)(24) 999 1,115 
			 Medical and dental staff(25) 1,349 1,884 
			 Qualified ambulance staff 448 625 
			 Support to clinical staff 7,141 9,470 
			 Support to doctors and nurses 5,946 7,368 
			 Support to ST and T 914 1,657 
			 Support to ambulance staff 281 445 
			
			 Of which:   
			 Selby and York primary care trust   
			 Professionally qualified clinical staff n/a 1,295 
			 Qualified nursing staff (including practice nurses) n/a 807 
			 Qualified ST and T n/a 252 
			 General medical practitioners (excluding retainers)(24) n/a 205 
			 Medical and dental staff(25) n/a 31 
			 Support to clinical staff n/a 649 
			 Support to doctors and nurses n/a 610 
			 Support to ST and T n/a 39 
			
			 York health services NHS trust total(26)   
			 Professionally qualified clinical staff 2,705 1,961 
			 Qualified nursing staff 1,928 1,191 
			 Qualified ST and T 506 469 
			 Medical and dental staff(25) 271 301 
			 Support to clinical staff 1,424 1,177 
			 Support to doctors and nurses 1,263 907 
			 Support to ST and T 161 270 
		
	
	n/a=Not applicable.
	(24)All Practitioners (excluding retainers) include general medical service (QMS) unrestricted principals, personal medical service (PMS) contracted general practitioners, PMS salaried GPs, restricted principals, assistants, GP registrars, salaried doctors (para 52 SFA), PMS other, flexible career scheme GPs and GP returners.
	(25)Excludes medical hospital practitioners and medical clinical assistants, most of whom are also GPs working part-time in hospitals GP and GP practice nurse data as at 1 October 1997 and 30 September 2003.
	(26)Following the formation of Selby and York primary care trust (PCT) in 2001, the provision of mental health services transferred to the PCT from the York health services NHS trust. The transfer of staff is reflected in the drop in figures from 1997 to 2003.
	Sources:
	Department of Health non-medical workforce census.
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census
	Department of Health GMS and PMS statistics.

Primary Care

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the promotion of primary care to erode income-related health differentials.

John Hutton: Last year, the Department announced 88 Spearhead primary care trusts, which are the 88 areas with the worst health and deprivation indicators. In the recent allocations round, Spearhead PCTs received above average growth. By 200708, Spearhead PCTs will be allocated 1552 per person, compared with an average for all PCTs of 1338 per person.

East Sussex Hospitals Trust

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the numberof cancelled operations in East Sussex hospitals trust.

Rosie Winterton: I am aware that there are concerns about the recent number of cancelled operations at East Sussex hospitals NHS trust.
	It is the responsibility of primary care trusts, working with their strategic health authorities, councils and other stakeholders to plan, improve and sustain services for local people.
	Leaders of the local health and social care organisations met early in March to discuss the operational problems faced by the hospital, and have agreed measures designed to help address these problems.

Solvent Abuse

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on levels of solvent abuse among young people.

Melanie Johnson: The statistics on drug use, smoking and drinking among young people in England 2003 indicate that 8 per cent. of young people aged 1115 abused solvent in 2003 compared with 6 per cent. in 2002.
	While deaths from solvent abuse have continued todecline over the past 10 years, the Government are keen to see these fall further. We have therefore been working with a wide range of stakeholders and other Government Departments to develop a framework for volatile substance abuse which will be published shortly.

Chiropody

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients received chiropody treatment in 200304.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of different persons seen in the year by national health service chiropody services in 200304 was 2.1 million.

Speech Therapists

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many speech therapists were practising in England in each year from 2000 to 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: The Health Professions Council holds information on the number of speech and language therapists registered to practice in the UK.
	As at September 2004, there were 6,556 speech and language therapists employed in the NHS. This is an increase of 21 per cent. from 5,430 on September 2000.

Abortion

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many private abortion clinics have been closed down following inspection since 1991;
	(2)  what action is taken when private abortion clinics do not meet national standards.
	(3)  when the British Pregnancy Advisory Service Clinic in Leamington Spa was most recently inspected;
	(4)  how frequently private abortion clinics are inspected.

Melanie Johnson: Private abortion clinics are inspected annually by the Healthcare Commission.
	The British Pregnancy Advisory Service clinic in Leamington Spa was last inspected on 28 April 2004.
	Action taken by the Healthcare Commission when clinics do not meet the national standards is proportionate to the level of concern. However, this includes the authority to cancel a clinic's registration, which may also lead to a withdrawal of approval under the Abortion Act.
	Since 1991, one clinic has had its registration, and its approval under the Abortion Act 1967, withdrawn and one clinic chose to close voluntarily in order to give the provider time to comply with the requirements set.

Abortion

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the national abortion statistics for 2003 contain less detailed information than in the previous five years.

Melanie Johnson: As stated in the statistical bulletin summary, Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2003, the format of tables changed to reflect concerns over issues of privacy and confidentiality. These issues are now being considered in more detail and we have asked the National Statistician to provide the Department and the new Health and Social Care Information Centre with guidelines for interpreting the national statistics code of practice and associated protocols in the handling of health statistics that balance data confidentiality risks with the public interest in the use of the figures. We expect to receive these in the summer.

Abortion

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research the Government have conducted on the likely effects on young women of reducing the time limit for legal abortion.

Melanie Johnson: The Department is not aware of any Government commissioned research on the effects on young women of reducing the time limit for legal abortion.

Advisory Committee on Cancer Prevention

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Advisory Committee on cancer prevention met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 8 March 2005, Official Report, column 1731W.

Alcohol

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children aged between 11 and 15 years were admitted to hospital in each strategic health authority owing to alcohol-related problems in each year since 200203.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 16 March 2005
	Episodes of children aged between 11 and 15 years admitted to hospital in each strategic health authority owing to alcohol-related problems in each year since 200102 are shown in the table.
	
		Counts of finished in-year admissions where there was a primary diagnosis or cause code for alcohol related diseases. Age at admission:11 to 15 yearsNational health service hospitals in strategic health authorities, England 200102 to 200304
		
			  Strategic health authority 200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 118 99 126 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 151 122 119 
			 Q03 Essex 37 43 49 
			 Q04 North West London 71 54 86 
			 Q05 North Central London 47 66 63 
			 Q06 North East London 43 58 80 
			 Q07 South East London 43 59 69 
			 Q08 South West London 127 122 140 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 141 124 93 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley 68 112 121 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 167 109 196 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire 167 156 159 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire 152 206 184 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester 227 254 276 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside 265 264 321 
			 Q16 Thames Valley 96 71 88 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 82 91 112 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 141 103 128 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex 169 229 225 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 99 106 142 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula 91 100 152 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset 90 69 64 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire 99 89 94 
			 Q24 Trent 168 150 125 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 62 62 67 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire 112 122 138 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country 209 167 222 
			 Q28 West Midlands South 122 116 131 
			 Y Not known 313   
			  Total 3,679 3,323 3,770 
		
	
	Notes:
	Alcohol-related diseases: These are defined by a primary diagnosis of mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol (ICD10 code F10), alcoholic liver disease (K70) or toxic effect of alcohol (T51) or a cause code of accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol (X45).
	Finished in-year admissions: A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the data-year. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	Diagnosis (primary diagnosis): The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 200203) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
	Cause code: The cause code is a supplementary code that indicates the nature of any external cause of injury, poisoning or other adverse effects.
	Grossing: Figures are grossed for both coverage and missing or invalid clinical data, except for 200203 and 200304, which are not yet adjusted for shortfalls.
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health

Antibiotics (Farms)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact on health of the use of antibiotics on farms; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that the use of antibiotics in human rather than veterinary medicines is thought to be the main source of resistant micro-organisms in the human population, but we recognise that transfer of resistant bacteria can also occur through the food chain. Action has been taken to phase out the use of antibiotic growth promoters in animals and to make sure that antibiotics are used responsibly in the treatment of sick animals. Measures to prevent food-borne disease, such as cooking, will also prevent the transmission of resistant bacteria.
	Antibiotic residues in food, resulting from on-farm use and their implications for consumer health, are monitored by the veterinary residues committee and the FSA. The residue levels currently reported do not raise any concerns about risks to consumer health.

Cancer

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether he intends to make estimates of the number of people expected to be diagnosed with cancer over the medium-to long-term to inform the NHS Cancer Plan, as recommended in paragraph 2.10, page 22 of the National Audit Office Report, The NHS Cancer Plan: AProgress Report;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to define the roles and responsibilities of the constituent organisations of cancer networks;
	(3)  what steps he is taking to ensure that cancer networks (a) are fully staffed and (b) have adequate representation from NHS trusts and primary care trusts.

Melanie Johnson: The Department welcomes the National Audit Office report, The NHS Cancer Plan: A Progress Report, and will take account of the issues raised and the recommendations made as we further develop and improve cancer services. The report will be discussed in detail at a Committee of Public Accounts hearing scheduled for 23 March 2005. Sir Nigel Crisp, chief executive of the national health service and Professor Mike Richards, national cancer director, will give evidence at the hearing. The Government will respond to the Committee's subsequent report in the form of a Treasury Minute.

Cancer

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhen he intends to establish a pilot programme for raising public awareness of the symptoms of cancer.

Melanie Johnson: A pilot programme of raising public awareness of the symptoms of cancer will be set up this year.

Cancer

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhen he expects to complete the investment tracking exercise on funding for cancer services, as described in paragraph 1.10, page 10, of the National Audit Office Report, The NHS Cancer Plan: A Progress Report.

Melanie Johnson: As stated in the National Audit Office Report, preliminary results from the second investment tracking exercise show that the 570 million target should be met. Final validation of the data received is currently being undertaken, and it is expected that the results of the exercise will be available in spring 2005.

Cardiac Arrhythmia

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhich NHS trusts are equipped to use electro physiological interventions in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmia.

Melanie Johnson: All of the 29 tertiary cardiac centres in England are equipped for and capable of administering electrophysiological interventions in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmia. They are located within the following national health service trusts.
	Papworth Hospital NHS Trust
	Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust
	Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust
	St. Mary's NHS Trust
	University College London Hospitals NHS Trust
	Barts and the London NHS Trust
	Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust
	King's College Hospital NHS Trust
	St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust
	The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust
	South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust
	Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
	Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
	Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Trust
	Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust
	South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust
	Cardiothoracic Centre Liverpool NHS Trust
	The Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust
	Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust
	Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
	United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust
	Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust
	Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
	Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust
	University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
	North Staffordshire Hospital NHS Trust
	Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust
	University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust
	University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust

Cardiac Health

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Government are taking to reduce cardiac health risks among young people.

Melanie Johnson: I published the Choosing Health delivery plan together with Choosing a Better Dieta food and health action plan and Choosing Activitya physical activity action plan, on 9 March, which set out how the Government will deliver on a range of public health interventions to reduce the risks to the whole population and to key sectors, including young people. These plans set out in detail specific measures to reduce tobacco consumption, increase healthy diets and physical activity all of which are key behaviours for reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Care Homes/Social Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) independent and (b) local authority care (i) homes and (ii) places there were in each local authority area in England providing (A) nursing care and (B) residential care in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: The following information has been placed in the Library.
	The number of residential care homes in England by Council with Social Service Responsibilities (CSSR) and nursing homes by health authority (HA) for people aged 18 and over as at 31 March 2001.
	The number of residential home places in England by CSSR and nursing home places by HA for people aged 18 and over as at 31 March 2001.
	I understand from the chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that figures for later years were collected by the National Care Standards Commission, and now CSCI, but comparable details are not available.

Care Homes/Social Care

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, columns 13536W, on care homes, how many (a) privately-owned and (b) local authority owned care homes there are in the Vale of York according to regionalised data provided by the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

Melanie Johnson: I understand from the chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection that information on the number of registered care homes by sector and local authority area is not yet available.

Care Homes/Social Care

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the orders to increase the regulatory fees in 200506 for care homes and social care providers are expected to be laid before Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 21 March 2005
	The Commission for Social Care Inspection (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) (Amendment) Regulations 2005 were laid before Parliament on 10 March 2005 and come into force on 1 April 2005. I refer the hon. Member to the written statement I made on 8 February 2005, Official Report, column 77WS.

Carers

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State forHealth when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary will reply to the letter of 7 February from the right hon.Member for South West Surrey on action for carers.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department has no record of having received a letter dated 7 February from the right hon. Member for South West Surrey on action for carers. A letter on this subject, dated 9 March, was received by the Department on 15 March and a response will be provided before the easter recess.

Chorley South Ribble Primary Care Trust

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the process is for appointing a new chair for the Chorley South Ribble Primary Care Trust; and what the time scale is for the appointment.

Melanie Johnson: The Secretary of State has delegated his functions relating to the appointments to primary care trusts to the National Health Service Appointments Commission. I have asked the chair, SirWilliam Wells, to write directly to my hon. Friend with the information he has requested.

Contaminated Blood Products

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons financial support is not provided to women widowed through the infection of their husbands with hepatitis C from contaminated blood products prescribed for them by the NHS.

Melanie Johnson: Unlike the Macfarlane and Eileen Trusts, which administer schemes for those infected with HIV, the ex gratia payment scheme for those infected with hepatitis C as a result of national health service treatment with blood or blood products, known as the Skipton Fund, is not a charitable trust.
	The Skipton Fund has been designed to make lump sum, ex gratia payments to those living with the hepatitis C virus and has not been designed to compensate for bereavement. For these reasons it is distinct from the HIV payment schemes.

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the level of deaths from deep vein thrombosis among NHS patients.

Melanie Johnson: Virtually all deaths from deep vein thrombosis occur as a result of a pulmonary embolism and most pulmonary embolisms arise from deep vein thrombosis in the leg. However, the precise description of this sequence of events leading to death, as provided on the death certificate, affects whether the death is coded as pulmonary embolism or thrombosis. Therefore, a figure combining the two causes is shown in the table.
	
		Number of deaths from pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis(27), persons, England and Wales, 19982003(28)
		
			 Calendar year Number of deaths 
		
		
			 1998 6,992 
			 1999 6,877 
			 2000 7,233 
			 2001 7,207 
			 2002 7,099 
			 2003 7,361 
		
	
	(27)The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 415.1, 451.1, 451.2, 451.9 and 453.9 for the years 1998 to 2000 and, for the years 2001 to 2003, the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes 126, 180.1, 180.2, 180.3, 180.9 and 182.9.
	(28)Figures are for deaths occurring in each calendar year.
	The Government have noted the recent report published by the Health Committee into the prevention of venous thromboembolism in hospitalised patients and will provide a full response in due course.

Digital Hearing Aids

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in the reduction of waiting times for digital hearing aids.

Stephen Ladyman: The figures on waiting times for digital hearing aids are not collected centrally. It is for primary care trusts to ensure their local population benefits from modernised hearing aid services.

Disability Equipment

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with internet providers on rules governing the re-sale of disability equipment.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 18 March 2005
	We have not had any discussions with internet providers on rules governing the re-sale of disability equipment.
	We would expect anyone who is re-selling disability equipment whether on the internet or not, to take their liabilities into account and their duty to the public to ensure that the re-sold equipment is fit for purpose, decontaminated and ideally has a full service history.

Drug Addicts

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered drug addicts per head of population there are in (a) Birmingham, (b) Bristol, (c) Leeds, (d) Liverpool, (e) Manchester, (f) Newcastle, (g) Nottingham and (h) Sheffield.

Melanie Johnson: There is no requirement on drug misusers to register their addiction. The number per thousand population in contact with structured treatment during 200304, the most recent year for which figures are available, was:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Birmingham 4.2 
			 Bristol 7.6 
			 Leeds 3.4 
			 Liverpool 6.4 
			 Manchester 6.9 
			 Newcastle-upon-Tyne 3.1 
			 Nottingham 5.7 
			 Sheffield 3.5

Drug Rehabilitation

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 4 March, Official Report, column 1467W, on drug rehabilitation, what measures he is taking to encourage community drug services' treatment protocols to reflect the advice on alternatives to methadone substitution therapy.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 17 March 2005
	A range of guidance has been produced by the Department and the National Treatment Agency (NTA) including:
	Department of Health Clinical Guidelines (1999);
	Models of Care for the Treatment of Drug Misusers (December 2002), and
	NTA guidance on components of prescribing services (2003)Research into practice briefing 2.
	These all promote a range of appropriate treatment options including alternatives to methadone substitution therapy.
	These documents promote the use of medication in the context of a package of care and advise on detoxification and availability of a range of psychological interventions and pathways to rehabilitation and recovery.
	The Department continues to fund the Royal College of General Practitioners, which provides training to doctors, nurses and pharmacists on the range of drug treatment options including substitution medication and psychological interventions.

Drug Rehabilitation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the 200405 budget is for drug rehabilitation; what the budgets are for each year until 200708; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 17 March 2005
	The pooled drug treatment budget for 200405, and the allocated funding up until 200708 is shown in the table.
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 200405 253.4 
			 200506 299.4 
			 200607 423.8 
			 200708 478.4

Drug Rehabilitation

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on provision of drug treatment in Lancashire.

Melanie Johnson: Within the Lancashire Drug Action Team (DAT) area, there are a number of substance misuse services providing treatment in line with National Treatment Agency models of care and the drug interventions programme, the levels of intervention continue to evolve to meet the needs of the individual.
	The Lancashire DAT plans to provide treatment for 4,113 problem drug users in the area in the current financial year, rising to 5,307 in 200708.
	Average national waiting times for drug treatment in England have fallen, from an average of 9.1 weeks in December 2001, to 2.5 weeks in June 2004. Lancashire DAT reported an average waiting time of 3.75 weeks in December 2004.
	Lancashire's allocation from the pooled drug treatment budget in 200405 is 4.3 million in the current year. This will increase by 21.2 per cent. in 200506 to 5.2 million.

Drug Rehabilitation

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding was made available for drug action and rehabilitation teams in each year since 2001.

Melanie Johnson: The Department and the Home Office have combined the funding provided for drug treatment. Known as the 'pooled treatment budget', this money is allocated to the 149 drug action teams across the country. This budget will increase from 142 million in 200102 to 478 million in 200708.
	The pooled treatment budget allocation since 2001 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Amount ( million) 
		
		
			 200102 142 
			 200203 191 
			 200304 236 
			 200405 253

Drug Rehabilitation

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding was provided for each drug action and rehabilitation team in the latest year for which funding is available (a) per team member and (b) per user.

Melanie Johnson: The Department and the Home Office have combined the funding provided for drug treatment. Known as the 'pooled treatment budget' this money is allocated to the 149 drug action teams (DATs) across the country. This budget is increasing from 142 million in 200102, to 478 million in 200708. The pooled treatment budget allocation for 200405 is 253 million.
	DATs make their own decisions on staffing and commissioning of services. We do not hold information centrally on these costs.

Drug Rehabilitation

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have received (a) treatment and (b) assistance from West Leeds community drug service since it was set up; and if he will estimate how many lives the service has saved.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The number of people seen by the West Leeds community drug services from April 2004 to December 2004 was 410. There are no figures for 200304.
	Treatment data from national drug treatment monitoring system are presented for each drug action team (DAT) area. The total number of individuals in contact with structured drug treatment services in the whole Leeds DAT partnership area for 200304 was 24,530.

Food Hygiene Regulations

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representation he has received on his proposals for a remedial action notice within new food hygiene regulations; in what circumstances he would expect it to be used instead of the Emergency Prohibition Notice; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that concerns have been raised, largely by some meat industry stakeholders, about the use of the Remedial Action Notice in response to the FSA's consultation on new food hygiene legislation.
	The proposed Remedial Action Notice would directly replace the existing Regulation 10 notice in current meat hygiene legislation. These notices are expected to be served in situations where requests for corrective measures to reduce the risk of contamination and consequent risk to public health have been ignored by the operator. Examples of where they might be used in slaughterhouses are:
	to promptly and effectively prohibit the use of a piece of equipment; impose conditions on, or the carrying out of a process; require the rate of production to be reduced or even stopped; or require the detention of any animal or food of animal origin for the purposes of examination.
	Emergency Prohibition Notices and Orders are currently issued under the Food Safety Act 1990, and provision for Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notices and Orders has been made in the draft Food Hygiene (England) Regulations. The current notices and orders are used where there is a real and imminent risk to health and the new provisions will replicate that requirement.
	The FSA is considering the issues raised in the consultation to determine if the proposed legislation needs to be revised.

Food Poisoning

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were diagnosed as suffering from food poisoning in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The number of notified cases of food poisoning in England and Wales reported to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) each year since 2001 is shown in the table. These numbers have shown a decrease each year since 2001.
	
		
			  Notified cases of food poisoning in England and Wales 
		
		
			 2001 85,468 
			 2002 72,649 
			 2003 70,895 
		
	
	Notified cases of food poisoning are not considered to be a reliable indicator of food-borne disease due to considerable under-reporting of all notifiable diseases. Very few notified cases will be based on evidence supporting the suspected association with food.
	Based on laboratory reports and multiplication factors derived from a large study of infectious intestinal disease 1 , the HPA estimated that, in 2000, there may have been as many as 1.3 million cases of food-borne illness acquired in England and Wales, of which around 370,000 consulted a doctor 2 . In that year, only 86,528 cases of food poisoning were notified. The HPA has not carried out a similar estimate for subsequent years.
	1 A Report on the Study of Infectious Intestinal Disease in England, 2000, The Stationery Office, ISBN 0113223080.
	2 Adak G K, Long S M, O'Brien S J. Gut 2002; 51:832841.

Food Poisoning

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the principal cause of food poisoning in England was in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: Notified cases of food poisoning are based on clinical diagnoses; therefore, it is not always possible to confirm the cause of the illness. However, estimates made by the Health Protection Agency (HPA); 1 have indicated that the main microbiological cause of food poisoning is Campylobacter.
	Data for 200103 on the number of laboratory-confirmed cases of illness in England and Wales caused by the five major food-borne bacteria also indicate that Campylobacter caused the greatest number of cases in each year.
	Final figures for 2003 provided by the HPA are shown in the following table and suggest that the number of laboratory-confirmed cases of Campylobacter in England and Wales in 2003 decreased by 22 per cent. compared with the figures for 2001. Reliable data for 2004 are not yet available.
	1 G K Adak, S M Long, S J O'BrienTrends in indigenous food-borne disease and deaths in England and Wales 19922000. Gut 2002, 51:832841.
	
		Laboratory-confirmed cases of Campylobacter in England and Wales
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001 44,368 
			 2002 37,316 
			 2003 34,593

Foreign Patients

Eric Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1) how much has been charged by the NHS in each of the last five years to non-UK and non-EU (a) nationals and (b) embassies;
	(2)  what percentage of NHS patients treated in the last year for which figures are available were (a) UK nationals, (b) EU nationals and (c) non-EU nationals.

John Hutton: Successive Governments have not required the national health service to provide statistics on the number or nationality of overseas visitors treated under the provisions of the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989, as amended, or on the costs of treatment. It is therefore not possible to provide the information requested.

Great Ormond Street Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what deficit is projected for the Great Ormond Street hospital in the 200405 financial year.

Stephen Ladyman: The North Central London strategic health authority reports that the Great Ormond Street Hospital National Health Service Trust is forecasting they will achieve financial balance for the current financial year.

Great Ormond Street Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of MRSA infection have been recorded at the Great Ormond Street hospital in each of the last 10 years.

Melanie Johnson: Data on Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections are only available by national health service trust since April 2001.
	The table shows the published data for the last three and half years for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust.
	
		
			  Number of MRSA bloodstream infection reports 
		
		
			 April 2001 to March 2002 7 
			 April 2002 to March 2003 13 
			 April 2003 to March 2004 4 
			 April 2004 to Sept 2004 1

Health Funding (Leeds)

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of funding per head of population in eachprimary care trust in Leeds was in the last year for which figures are available; and what assessment his Department has made of inequality of healthcare provision in the city.

Melanie Johnson: The table shows the allocations per weighted head of population in each primary care trust (PCT) in Leeds for 200405.
	
		
		
			  PCT 200405 allocation per weighted head of population 
		
		
			 East Leeds 1,077.31 
			 Leeds, North East 1,044.27 
			 Leeds, North West 1,001.55 
			 Leeds, West 1,052.69 
			 South Leeds 1,010.21 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health.
	Service planning to address inequalities in service provision is agreed between PCTs and their strategic health authorities and not with the Department.

Health Services (York)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) in-patient and (b) day patient beds there were in York in (i) 199697 and (ii)200405.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			   Organisation In-patient beds Day patient beds 
		
		
			 199697 York health services national health service trust 1,171 32 
			 200304(29) York hospitals NHS trust(30) 778 43 
			 200304 Selby and York PCT(30) 375 0 
		
	
	(29)The latest data available are 200304
	(30)Following the transfer of community and mental health services to Selby and York PCT in 2001, the York health services NHS trust renamed itself York hospitals NHS trust.
	Source:
	Department of Health.

Health Services (York)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients had been waiting 13-weeks or longer for outpatient treatment at York health services NHS Trust at (a) April 1997 and (b) the latest date for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: The table shows the number of patients not yet seen at the end of the quarter who have experienced a wait of over 13-weeks for a first outpatient appointment at York health services national health service trust in March 1997 and from 2002, at York hospitals NHS trust.
	
		
			   Number 
		
		
			 March 1997(31) York health services NHS trust 2,058 
			 December 2004 York hospitals NHS trust(32) 645 
		
	
	(31)The information given is for March 1997, as the data are collected quarterly.
	(32)Following the transfer of community and mental health services to the Selby and York primary care trust, the trust was renamed York hospitals NHS trust.
	Source:
	QM08 quarterly return.

Health Services (York)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished consultant episodes there were in (a) total and (b) each speciality at York hospitals NHS trust in each year since 199697; and how many (i) hip replacements and (ii) cataract operations were carried out in that NHS trust in each year.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		Table 1: Count of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) York hospitals national health service trust, 199697 to 200304
		
			  Total FCEs 
		
		
			 199697 60,956 
			 199798 61,177 
			 199899 65,143 
			 19992000 62,296 
			 200001 62,631 
			 200102 63,523 
			 200203 64,015 
			 200304 69,699 
		
	
	Notes:
	Finished consultant episode (FCE)
	An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.
	Grossing
	Figures are grossed for both coverage and missing/invalid clinical data, except for 200203 and 200304, which are not yet adjusted for shortfalls.
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health
	
		Table 2: Count of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) by main specialityYork hospitals NHS trust, 199697 to 200304
		
			 Main speciality 199697 199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			 100 General surgery 7,290 6,929 7,618 7,620 7,493 7,440 8,034 8,727 
			 101 Urology 4,390 4,319 4,441 4,432 4,860 4,719 4,817 5,345 
			 110 Trauma and Orthopaedics 4,375 4,274 4,560 4,468 4,660 4,649 5,158 5,566 
			 120 Ear Nose  Throat (ENT) 2,211 1,833 2,134 2,166 2,193 2,301 2,050 2,041 
			 130 Ophthalmology 1,923 1,885 2,175 2,288 2,253 2,272 2,290 2,534 
			 140 Oral surgery 1,215 1,268 1,351 1,368 1,244 1,223 1,354 1,409 
			 141 Restorative Dentistry 422 397 364 333 336 339 0 0 
			 160 Plastic surgery 0 0 0 0 0 0 *  
			 170 Cardiothoracic Surgery 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 
			 180 Accident and Emergency (AE) 1,361 731 460 134  * 29 7 
			 190 Anaesthetics 1,174 2,345 2,469 2,292 1,906 1,918 1,882 1,879 
			 300 General Medicine 10,604 10,961 11,591 12,002 12,888 14,076 15,561 16,536 
			 303 Haematology (clinical) 814 1,043 1,310 1,391 938 824 667 684 
			 330 Dermatology 132 113 170 148 127 103 75 62 
			 360 Genito-urinary Medicine 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 * 
			 370 Medical oncology 0 * * 126 348 269 190 165 
			 400 Neurology 441 409 404 397 429 510 520 670 
			 410 Rheumatology 290 351 318 265 190 184 172 256 
			 420 Paediatrics 3,290 3,321 3,741 4,168 3,908 4,158 4,124 4,651 
			 430 Geriatric medicine 4,311 4,561 5,254 5,021 5,216 5,448 6,160 7,756 
			 502 Gynaecology 13,553 13,471 13,524 9,622 9,726 9,748 9,310 9,738 
			 610 General practice with maternity function 200 125 516 1,829 1,772 1,418 1,581 1,631 
			 620 General Practice other than Maternity 519 522 480 437 411 370 0 0 
			 700 Mental Handicap 174 53 60 34 31 38 0 0 
			 710 Mental Illness 1,288 1,223 1,166 771 821 687 0 0 
			 711 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 72 64 54 47 57 51 0 0 
			 715 Old Age Psychiatry 838 904 854 745 744 696 0  
			 800 Radiotherapy * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 810 Radiology 0 0 * * 0 0 * * 
			 822 Chemical Pathology 67 72 121 190 80 80 38 40 
			 824 Histopathology 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 
			 Total  60,956 61,177 65,143 62,296 62,631 63,523 64,015 69,699 
		
	
	Notes:
	Finished consultant episode (FCE)
	An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.
	Speciality
	Care is needed when analysing HES data by speciality, or by groups of specialities (such as Acute). Trusts have different ways of managing specialities and attributing codes so it is better to analyse by specific diagnoses, operations or other recorded information.
	Grossing:
	Figures are grossed for both coverage and missing/invalid clinical data, except for 200203 and 200304, which are not yet adjusted for shortfalls.
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health
	
		Table 3: Count of finished consultant episodes with a hip replacement (OPCS4 codes W37-W39 and W46-W48) or cataract operation (OPCS4 codes C71-C72 and C74-C75) as a main or secondary operationYork hospitals NHS trust, 199697 to 200304
		
			  Hip replacements Cataract operations 
		
		
			 199697 424 1,010 
			 199798 366 1,035 
			 199899 435 1,337 
			 19992000 426 1,448 
			 200001 459 1,392 
			 200102 468 1,361 
			 200203 506 1,220 
			 200304 542 1,529 
		
	
	Notes:
	Finished consultant episode (FCE)
	An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.
	All operations count of episodes
	These figures represent a count of all FCEs where the procedure was mentioned in any of the 12 (four prior to 200203) operation fields in a HES record. A record is only included once in each count, even if an operation is mentioned in more than one operation field of the record.
	Grossing
	Figures are grossed for both coverage and missing/invalid clinical data, except for 200203 and 200304, which are not yet adjusted for shortfalls.

Health Services (York)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated at York NHS walk-in centre in 2004.

Melanie Johnson: In 2004, York national health service walk-in centre treated 37,566 patients.

Healthcare-acquired Infections

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) guidance and (b) circulars were issued (i) between 1987 and 1997 and (ii) 1997 and 2005 on the control of healthcare-acquired infections; and what (A) ministerial statements and (B) press notices on the subject were issued between 1997 and 2005.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 9 March 2005
	The table shows the guidance and circulars relating to healthcare associated infection and the linked topic of cleanliness issued between 1987 and 2005. The second table shows press releases on the same subject issued between 1997 and 2005. There were no ministerial statements to the House on these subjects during the time period stated.
	
		Circulars and guidance
		
			 Date Subject 
		
		
			 February 2005 Suggested framework for annual reports of Directors of infection prevention and control published on Department's website. 
			 7 December 2004 Revised Guidance on Contracting for Cleaning (including National specifications for cleanliness) (previously National Standards of Cleanliness). 
			 19 October 2004 Matron's Charter; An Action plan for Cleaner Hospitals 
			 8 October 2004 Audit Tools for Monitoring Infection Control Standards 2004: a publication produced by ICNA working in partnership with DH 
			 22 July 2004 Letter from NHS Chief Executive stressing the importance of infection control. 
			 12 July 2004 Towards Cleaner Hospitals and Lower rates of infection 
			 24 May 2004 Letter giving suggested competencies for Directors of Infection Prevention and Control. 
			 5 December 2003 Winning Ways: reducing healthcare associated infection in England 
			 June 2003 Infection control: Prevention of healthcare-associated infection in primary and community care. 
			 9 June 2003 Chief Medical Officer's (CMO) letter-PL CMO (2003) 4 Surveillance of healthcare associated infections. 
			 9 June 2003 CMO letterPL CMO (2003) 4 Hospital Pharmacy initiative for promoting prudent use of antibiotics in hospitals. 
			 10 January 2002 Getting Ahead of The Curve: a strategy for combating infectious diseases (including other aspects of health promotion) 
			 2001 National Standards of Cleanliness (Revised 2003) (Revised and renamed 2004) 
			 2001 Infection Control in the Built Environment (revised 2002) 
			 18 January 2001 The National Evidence-based Guidelines for Preventing Healthcare Associated Infections (also known as the 'epic' guidelines). 
			 2000 Standards for Environmental Cleanliness in HospitalsGuidance developed by ADM and ICNA and published in conjunction with NHS Estates. 
			 11 February 2000 Health Service CircularHSC (2000) 02 The management and control of hospital infection: action for the NHS for the management and control of infection in hospitals in England. 
			 13 August 1999 Health Service CircularHSC (1999) 179 Controls assurance in infection control: decontamination of medical devices. 
			 5 March 1999 Health Service CircularHSC 1999/049 Resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents action for the NHS following the Government's response to the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee report Resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents 
			 1998 Hospital acquired infection: Information for chief executives, why you need to be interested. 
			 March 1996 Guidelines on the control of infection in residential and nursing homes. 
			 March 1996 MRSA what nursing and residential homes need to know Department's leaflet 
			 21 April 1995 Health Service GuidanceHSG (1995) 18. 
		
	
	
		Hospital laundry arrangements for used and infected linen
		
			  
		
		
			 7 March 1995 Health Service GuidanceHSG (1995) 10 Hospital Infection Control-Guidance on the control of infection in hospitals, prepared by the Hospital Infection Working Group of the Department of Health and PHLS (also known as the 'Cooke report') 
			 1993 CDO letter PL CDO (1993) 3 Cross Infection Control 
			 1991 CMO letter PL CMO (1991) 18 Detection of Hospital Infection 
			 1988 Health Circular HC (1988) 33 Health services management: hospital infection control 
			 1988 DHSS: Health Service Catering Manual : Hygiene (1988) 3rd edition giving guidance to assist health authorities achieve and maintain safe standards of practice, including cleaning and maintenance, of services and service areas and equipment and food handling 
		
	
	
		Press releases
		
			 Date Subject 
		
		
			 7 March 2005 MRSA cases lowest ever recorded as NHS actions begin to take effect 
			 7 March 2005 Reid considering legislation on health hygiene in hospitals, nursing homes and care homes 
			 28 February 2005 Cleaners, Nurses and Doctors make improvements on Think Clean Day 
			 4 February 2005 Review panel makes progress on helping the NHS to fight MRSA 
			 20 January 2005 Chief Nursing Officer says hospitals must spread best practice on reducing MRSA 
			 21 December 2004 Government hits target of housekeepers half of all NHS hospitals 
			 15 December 2004 Top international scientists join health secretary in fighting infection : John Reid challenges scientists translate research into practical measures against MRSA 
			 7 December 2004 New model cleaning contract will help improve standards 
			 1 December 2004 First results from rapid review panel in battle on MRSA 
			 5 November 2004 Blood borne MRSA infection rates to be halved by 2008 
			 4 November 2004 Infection control training for over one million NHS staff: new Chief Nurse says all staff must play their part in fight against MRSA 
			 15 October 2004 NHS steps up the fight against hospital infections 
			 19 October 2004 Hospital cleanliness a top priority for new top nurse 
			 September 2004 Chief Nursing Officer's (CNO) Bulletin: Matrons make their mark, Clean hands equal clean wards, Hygiene checklist for nurses 
			 14 July 2004 New MRSA figures published 
			 12 July 2004 New action for cleaner, safer hospitals: Reid sets out plans to boost cleanliness and reduce infection rates 
			 July/August 2004 CNO Bulletin: Keeping hospitals clean and safe 
			 9 February 2004 Health Minister urges Accident and Emergency (Accident and Emergency) matrons to claim their 10,000 
			 5 December 2003 Drive to tackle hospital infections 
			 13 August 2003 Latest results for hospital food and cleanliness: no red hospitals found 
			 7 April 2003 Modern Matrons get 2 million fund to improve Accident and Emergency 
			 9 June 2003 CMO to step up fight against hospital infections: 12 million for hospital pharmacists and central monitoring 
			 19 March 2002 Cash bonuses for porters, cleaners and caretakers if they meet targets at work 
			 8 February 2002 Lord Hunt welcomes report into rates of MRSA hospital infection by NHS trust 
			 31 October 2001 Hospitals shine in latest cleanliness checks: WRVS invited on board to keep standards high 
			 10 October 2001 Maternity units receive 100 million to modernise and improve facilities 
			 31 July 2001 Empowering nurses and slashing red tape means better care and cleaner wards for patients 
			 23 July 2001 Health Minster Lord Philip Hunt announces new advisory committee on antibiotic resistance 
			 10 April 2001 Cleanliness standards in hospital are rising: cleaner hospitals programme a clear success 
			 4 April 2001 Heath Secretary brings back Matron to the Health Service 
			 17 January 2001 Ward sister have greater control over cleaning standards: extra 30 million to drive up standards as part of biggest ever clean-up campaign 
			 16 October 2000 All hospitals to monitor hospital acquired infection 
			 26 September 2000 Improving the ward environment for patients: cleanest hospitals to act as models for others 
			 31 July 2000 New NHS Hospital clean-up to improve patients' experience: extra 31 million investment for improving hospital cleanliness 
			 12 June 2000 Next steps in tackling hospital infections announced: Denham to publish Government's Antimicrobial Strategy and set out plans for NHS to publish infection data 
			 12 May 2000 Raising standards in NHS Wards 
			 22 November 1999 New framework for managing hospital acquired infection: infection control part of a new range of standards for the NHS (Controls Assurance) 
			 17 December 1998 Government Publishes Response To House Of Lords Report On Resistance To Antibiotics And Other Microbial Agents 
			 3 September 1998 Report On Impact Of Clinical Prescribing On Antimicrobial Resistance Published 
			 23 April 1998 Frank Dobson Welcomes Lords Report On Resistance To Antimicrobial Agents 
			 1997 Tessa Jowell responds to PHLS study into hospital acquired infection 
			 1991 Stephen Dorrell stresses government's commitment to a Cleaner, Greener NHS 
			 1990 NHS hospital receives national clean kitchen award: The Victoria Hospital in Blackpool won the major award 
		
	
	Between 1987 and 1997, cleanliness conditions in individual hospitals were the responsibility of the national health service trust to which the hospital belonged, and needed to comply with the Patient's Charter.

Healthy Eating

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions (a) he and (b) the Food Standards Agency have had with the food and drinks industry in response to the recommendations in the Health Select Committee report on obesity.

Melanie Johnson: The commitments in the Choosing Health White Paper include many of the Health Select Committee's recommendations and positive discussions have taken place between the Department, the Food Standards Agency and the food and drinks industry on these, including approaches to reducing salt, fat and sugar in the diet.

Hepatitis B Vaccine

Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) conducted and (b) evaluated concerning a possible link between hepatitis B vaccine and the development of autoimmune rheumatoid diseases; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The safety of all medicines and vaccines, including hepatitis B vaccine, is continuously monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with expert advice from the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM). The MHRA uses a variety of data sources for this purpose including reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) which are reported through the yellow card scheme, clinical trials, published literature, epidemiological studies and periodic safety update reports from marketing authorisation holders.
	The known side effects of medicines and vaccines are described in their product information. Arthralgia and arthritis (joint pain and inflammation) have been reported very rarely in relation to hepatitis B vaccines and these possible side effects are included in product information. There have been reports of suspected adverse drug reactions suggesting an association between hepatitis B vaccine with rheumatoid arthritis.
	In light of concerns raised by reports of suspected ADRs, in 2003, the MHRA and the vaccine working group of the CSM reviewed all the available evidence relating to the possible links between hepatitis B vaccine and rheumatoid arthritis. This review examined published literature and studies and reports of suspected adverse drug reactions. The working group advised that there is no confirmed scientific evidence linking the vaccine with an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis. The MHRA will continue to monitor the safety of hepatitis B vaccine.

Herbal Medicinal Products

David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of differences in the (a) regulation and (b) supply of herbal products in each EU member state; and what steps he intends to take through the Herbal Medicinal Products Working Group to ensure that the requirements in respect of (i) quality standards and (ii) other matters for the registration of dossiers under the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive are set at a level appropriate to traditional herbal medicinal products;
	(2)  whether he intends to make it his policy in implementing the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive fully to use all the options afforded for national flexibility; and what account he will take of the potential regulatory burden on small and medium sized enterprises;
	(3)  when the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency expects to issue a comprehensive assessment of the costs of implementation of the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive;
	(4)  when he expects the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to consult on the fees for processing registrations under the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive; whether that consultation will assess the impact of the proposed fee levels upon small and medium sized enterprises; and whether in setting the date for that consultation he expects the Agency to take account of the need of such enterprises to assess the impact of those costs before deciding whether to submit registrations under the provisions of the legislation prior to the deadline of October.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 17 March 2005
	Before the European Commission brought forward proposals for the Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products (Directive 2004/24/EC) a study was carried out for the Commission on the then arrangements for regulation of herbal medicines across the European Union (EU). This demonstrated that there were significant differences between member states. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) understands from discussion with industry and regulatory authorities in other EU member states that this assessment has been widely supported, and we do not see any need to replicate the work.
	There are many thousands of herbal products on the market of one or more EU member state and variously falling within different categories, such as medicines, foods, food supplements, cosmetics or general consumer products. We do not see a case for commissioning a comparative assessment of the position in each member state and doubt its practicality.
	The main requirements on quality and on the information and data to be included in dossiers flow directly from the terms of the Directive. There are existing European guidelines on the quality and manufacturing standards for medicines, including herbal medicines. We understand that the Herbal Medicinal Products Committee, based at the European Medicines Agency, may review whether any additions or modifications to existing guidelines are desirable or whether further guidelines are required on other issues relating to the Directive. However, there is no fundamental reason why quality standards, for example as to the identity and quality of ingredients, freedom from unacceptable levels of contamination, and the claimed shelf life of the product, should be lowered for traditional herbal medicines as compared with the requirements for other medicines with a marketing authorisation. The absence of such standards in the existing United Kingdom regime for unlicensed herbal medicines has been associated with evidence of risk to public health from low quality products. The UK appointed member of the Committee has extensive scientific and practical regulatory knowledge of herbal medicines and has regular discussions with industry and other interested parties. There is a range of opportunities for industry to make its views known to the Committee and the MHRA has encouraged the UK industry to contribute actively in this area.
	Subject to the outcome of a further consultation on legislation to transpose the Directive into UK legislation, we intend to take advantage of the flexibility under the Directive to permit a transitional period to run until 2011 before products legally on the UK market at April 2004 are required to comply with the Directive. We also intend to permit product information to state the nature of the herbal tradition, which we believe will be helpful to consumers and to industry.
	The MHRA has an extensive programme of work in hand to help industry, and in particular small and medium-sized enterprises, prepare for the Directive. Measures have included: a programme of workshops for industry; around 30 meetings with individual companies to advise them on the possibility of registering their products under the Directive; extensive website guidance on the Directive; and regular discussions with the industry's Herbal Forum to identify and respond to issues of concern. The Agency has received considerable positive feedback on the help provided to industry.
	The MHRA gave indicative information on fee levels in the partial regulatory impact assessment published in 2003. In the light of detailed work that has taken place in the interim, updated specific proposals will be published for consultation by the early summer of 2005 along with an updated regulatory impact assessment. October 2005 is the date by which a registration scheme under the Directive must be introduced. It does not represent a deadline by which companies must apply to register products.

Home Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have received publicly funded home care in each year since 1991; and how many hours of publicly funded home care have been provided in each year since 1991.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of clients and households receiving publicly funded home care and the number of contact hours provided during a sample week in September for the years 1992 to 2003 is shown in the table. Data prior to 1992 are not available centrally. Double counting refers to where a household receives home care from both the council and the independent sector and is counted as two households. Additional information removing double counting has been collected since 2000. The figures for 1992, when the data collection was introduced, are less precise than figures for subsequent years.
	In order to help older people stay at home, there has been a rise in more intensive home care packages. This has resulted in more contact hours being provided to slightly fewer households.
	
		Number of clients and households receiving publicly funded home care and contact hours in England, 1992 to 2003survey week in September
		
			 Rounded numbers 
			   Households 
			  Clients Excluding double counting Including double counting Contact hours 
		
		
			 1992 n/a n/a 528,500 1,687,000 
			 1993 n/a n/a 514,600 1,780,800 
			 1994 n/a n/a 538,900 2,215,100 
			 1995 n/a n/a 513,600 2,395,700 
			 1996 n/a n/a 491,100 2,486,700 
			 1997 n/a n/a 479,100 2,607,500 
			 1998 n/a n/a 447,200 2,607,400 
			 1999 n/a n/a 421,000 2,678,200 
			 2000 414,700 398,100 415,800 2,791,300 
			 2001 395,500 381,700 399,900 2,881,600 
			 2002 382,000 366,500 383,100 2,983,200 
			 2003 373,500 362,800 376,000 3,113,000 
		
	
	Note:
	n/aData not available.
	Source:
	HH1

Hospital Parking Charges

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will abolish parking charges for hospital visitors;
	(2)  what the car parking charge is (a) per day, (b) per week, (c) per month and (d) for a short-term stay at each hospital in England.

John Hutton: It is a matter for individual national health service hospitals to decide whether or not to charge for car parking and the level of charges in the light of local circumstances. Information on this activity is therefore not routinely collected centrally.
	Many car parking charges are set to cover the cost of maintenance and security of the car park such as adequate lighting, car park attendants and security officers. If charges were not made to offset these costs the money would have to be found at the risk of cutting patient services elsewhere. There are therefore no plans to instruct hospitals to abolish car parking charges for visitors.

Hospital Readmissions

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rates of readmission to hospitals have been in (a) England and (b) Lancashire in each year since 1997.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 15 March 2005
	Information on emergency readmissions for all ages, within 28 days of discharge, has been collected since 200203. Prior to that date, the quarterly information related to the over 75 age group only.
	Table 1 shows the all ages emergency readmission rates for England for each quarter since quarter one (April to June) 2002.
	
		
			  Financial year  Quarter Rate of 28 day emergency admission for people of all ages (percentage) 
		
		
			 200405 3 5.9 
			 200405 2 5.9 
			 200405 1 5.9 
			 200304 4 5.7 
			 200304 3 5.7 
			 200304 2 5.5 
			 200304 1 5.6 
			 200203 4 5.5 
			 200203 3 5.5 
			 200203 2 5.3 
			 200203 1 5.4 
		
	
	Table 2 shows the information for the Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority (SHA).
	
		
			 Financial year Quarter Number of people of all ages discharged from hospital Number of people of all ages readmitted as an emergency within 28 days of discharge 
		
		
			 200405 3 121,921 6,651 
			 200405 2   
			 200405 1   
			 200304 4   
			 200304 3   
			 200304 2   
			 200304 1   
			 200203 4   
			 200203 3   
			 200203 2   
			 200203 1   
		
	
	Notes (Table 2):
	Data for quarter 2 200203 are not available as not all organisations in the strategic health authority submitted a return. Traditionally, no estimates are made for in such instances. However, an overall England figure is estimated in such instances, as the margin of error is smaller.

Influenza Pandemic Plan

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to publicise the steps that the public should take to minimise the risk of transmission and infection in the event of an outbreak of an influenza pandemic.

Melanie Johnson: Information is already available in the UK Pandemic Influenza Contingency Plan, and is available on the Department's website at: www.dh.gov.uk/pandemicflu.

Influenza Pandemic Plan

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to hasten the development of a vaccine in the event of an outbreak of an influenza pandemic.

Melanie Johnson: The United Kingdom, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and international colleagues, is supporting research, developing seedstock for pandemic strains and continuing discussions with manufacturers about the development of a vaccine in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Influenza Pandemic Plan

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the phases in the UK Influenza Pandemic Plan published in March 1997 became inconsistent with the phases which trigger public health action as defined by the World Health Organisation; and when he expects the next change in these phases by the World Health Organisation.

Melanie Johnson: The phases used in the 1997 UK Influenza Pandemic plan are geared to United Kingdom action.
	The World Health Organization is currently considering modifications to the phases used to the international spread of an influenza pandemic. We understand these are to be published shortly. Any necessary amendments will be made to the UK plan.

Influenza Pandemic Plan

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis an incubation period of one to three days, as described on page 25 of the UK Influenza Pandemic Plan, was assumed for planning purposes in the event of an outbreak of an influenza pandemic; and whether he plans to model the outbreak of an influenza pandemic with an incubation period of different length.

Melanie Johnson: The incubation period of influenza ranges from one to seven days, but is commonly two to three days and this range was therefore used for planning purposes. There are no plans to extend this aspect of modelling.

Influenza Pandemic Plan

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to develop a strategy for the optimal use of antivirals in tackling an influenza pandemic; if he will publish this strategy; and what part the National Institute for Clinical Excellence will play in developing it.

Melanie Johnson: We will consult the National Institute for Clinical Excellence for its views on the use of antivirals when developing the strategy, which will take into account comments received on the plan and be published in due course.

Influenza Pandemic Plan

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish guidance for NHS organisations for use alongside the UK Influenza Pandemic Plan, as mentioned on page 7 of the plan; and for which organisations he expects to produce a checklist to follow, as mentioned on page 7 of the plan.

Melanie Johnson: The guidance will be published shortly.

Influenza Pandemic Plan

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the draft clinical treatment protocols described on page 46 of the UK Influenza Pandemic Plan to be published.

Melanie Johnson: Draft treatment protocols will be published on the Health Protection Agency's website when they are agreed.

Isotretinoin

Bruce George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to monitor prescribing of isotretinoin to women of child bearing age with particular reference to EU regulations on pregnancy prevention.

Melanie Johnson: Isotretinoin (Roaccutane) is a prescription-only medicine indicated for the treatment of severe acne, such as nodular or conglobate acne or acne at risk of permanent scarring. Its use is limited to specialists in dermatology with expertise in the use of systematic retinoids for the treatment of severe acne and a full understanding of the risks of isotretinoin therapy and monitoring requirements.
	The safety of isotretinoin has been closely monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with expert advice from the Committee on Safety of Medicines, since it was approved in 1983.
	Isotretinoin is known to harm the foetus if used during pregnancy and the product information has always carried stringent warnings to guard against its use during pregnancy. The product information for isotretinoin products was recently reviewed at a European level by the Committee for Human Medicinal Products. This has resulted in consistent updated advice to prescribers and patients throughout Europe, including the introduction of a pregnancy prevention programme. The pregnancy prevention programme consists of three parts; an education programme, therapy managements and distribution controls, which work together to raise awareness of the serious consequences for pregnancies exposed to isotretinoin.
	All female patients will receive information about isotretinoin, the risks associated with exposure during pregnancy as well as information on contraception. If clinical judgment is that a woman is not at risk of becoming pregnant she may not need to be subject to all of the requirements of the scheme in order to receive treatment with isotretinoin.
	The effectiveness of the pregnancy prevention programme is being closely monitored by the MHRA and other European member states. The marketing authorisation holders are required to submit regular reports six monthly for the first two years and annually thereafter on the effectiveness and implementation of the scheme across Europe. The pregnancy prevention programme has not yet been launched in all member states, but, in the first six months of launch in the first five member states, there were no new cases of pregnancy exposed to isotretinoin in those countries.

Long-term Care

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care in each year from 200506 to 201011; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 21 March 2005
	In England, the Government has accepted each of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care except the recommendation to provide free personal care in all settings. Making personal care free for everyone carries a very substantial cost but would not raise the standard or range of services available; the estimated cost for 200304 is 1.5 billion.
	Free personal care would not help the poorest in society, who receive means tested support nor would it help the sickest, whose bills are paid by national health service continuing care arrangements. Free personal care does not cover all residential care costs and people in residential care would still be expected to contribute to board and lodging costs if personal care was made free.
	The estimated costs for future years are shown in the table. They take account of demographic change, in terms of numbers of older people by age, gender, household type and housing tenure. They assume that cost of care will rise by 2 per cent. per year in real terms, in line with average earnings. As with any projections, the figures should only be taken as broad estimates of the cost because of the uncertainty of projecting over such a long time scale.
	
		
			   billion 
		
		
			 200506 1.75 
			 200607 1.9 
			 200708 2.05 
			 200809 2.25 
			 200910 2.45 
			 201011 2.65

Mental Health Care

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the funding per capita for mental health services in Leeds, North-West for (a) over-65s and (b) under 65s is for 200405.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Mental Health Care

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets his Department has for expanding the availability of cognitive behavioural therapies for patients with mental illness.

Rosie Winterton: We have no specific targets for cognitive behaviour therapies. However, the national service framework (NSF) for mental health, published in 1999, sets out the national standards for mental health; what they aim to achieve, how they should be developed and delivered and how to measure performance in every part of the country. Following this, the NHS Plan, published in 2000, set plans and targets for investment and reforms in the National Health Service in England. In addition, the Department's guidance, published in July 2004, entitled Organising and Delivering psychological therapies, addresses issues for local services wanting to deliver a better quality or more readily accessible effective psychological therapies including cognitive behaviour therapies.
	Copies of these publications are available from the Library or from the Department's website at http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/fs/en

Mental Health Care

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trained medical doctors have been employed in mental health facilities in Lancashire in each year since 1997.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not available in the format requested.

Midwifery

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with (a) NHS organisations and (b) other interested bodies on adopting the Independent Midwives' Association's Community Midwifery Model; if he will adopt the Model across the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 18 March 2005
	I met the Independent Midwives' Association (IMA) last year. Following that meeting, officials have been working with the IMA to investigate the feasibility of using the model in the national health service. That process is continuing.

MRSA

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons his Department decided that data collected for MRSA rates under the mandatory surveillance system should be published every six months; on what date this decision was made; what representations he received from (a) NHS organisations and (b) other interested bodies in support of publishing data under the mandatory surveillance system at six monthly intervals; if he will publish all data collected under the mandatory surveillance system since April 2001 for intervals of six months; and what plans he has to publish data under the mandatory surveillance system at intervals of three months.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 14 March 2005
	The Department decided to publish data from the mandatory methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) surveillance system on a six-monthly basis so that the public could be informed more frequently about the record of their local national health service trusts. The decision was taken in February this year, after consulting the Health Protection Agency, to ensure this would not over-burden specialist NHS resources and that data published at this frequency would be meaningful
	The tables published on 7 March 2005 include all the data collected through the mandatory MRSA bloodstream infection surveillance system since 2001, set out in six-monthly intervals. The Department has received no other representations on this issue and there are no current plans to publish this data on a quarterly basis.
	The tables are available on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/10/55/18/04105518.pdf and have been placed in the Library.

Nevirapine

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 23 February 2005, Official Report, column 693W, on nevirapine, when he expects the British HIV Association will issue new guidance on the use of nevirapine to prevent mother-to-baby transmission of HIV/AIDS.

Melanie Johnson: We understand that the British HIV Association will publish new guidelines on the management of HIV infection in pregnant women and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission in July 2005.

NHS Estates

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to restructure NHS estates.

John Hutton: holding answer 18 March 2005
	The decision to abolish NHS Estates was announced in a Press Release issued by the Department on 22 July 2004. The final closure date will be 30 September 2005.
	A number of the agency's policy functions will be transferred to the Department, including NHS ProCure 21 and decontamination. Responsibility for national health service advisory services will transfer to strategic health authorities. The National Patient Safety Agency will take on the implementation of programmes concerning food and cleaning, and certain design related projects.
	Inventures trading services are likely to be disposed of through a managed closure.

NHS Expenditure

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what he estimates the NHS expenditure per weighted head of population will be in north and east Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire strategic health authority in 200405.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not yet available. Data for 200405 will be available in the autumn.

NHS Research

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role the University of Warwick has played in determining the formula for calculating future receipts of the Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde Hospital Trust.

John Hutton: The University of Warwick was commissioned to advise on the geographic variation in staff costs. This work has contributed to the new system of financial flows, called Payment by Results, national health service trusts are paid according to a national tariff.

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to prevent the development of a two tier employment situation in the areas of cleaning, catering and associated services at the Norfolk and Norwich university hospital.

John Hutton: The Government has announced a major extension of the Local Government Two Tier Code on Workforce matters to the wider public sector, including the national health service. With some limited exemptions, the Code will apply to all new and re-tendered service contracts which involve transferred staff, and aims to ensure that employees are treated fairly, regardless of whether they are employed directly by the NHS or a service provider.

Nurses' Uniforms

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 175W, on nurses uniforms, 
	(1)  on what research his Department bases the assertion that dilution in domestic washing machines will effectively disinfect nurses uniforms;
	(2)  when Health Service Guidance 95 (18) was last updated;
	(3)  what research has been carried out since 1997 to establish (a) mechanical efficiency and (b) hygienic effectiveness of the washing of nurses uniforms at home; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Health Service Guidance 95 (18), published in 1995, has not been revised as it still adequately covers the issue of temperature and disinfection.
	The Department is not aware of any research concerning the washing of nurses' uniforms at home. Expert opinion is that a combination of heat, detergent and water will remove soil and reduce the bioburden sufficiently.
	Single use aprons and other equipment should be used if contamination is likely.

Opticians

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many whole-time equivalent (a) optometrists, (b) dispensing opticians and (c) ophthalmic opticians there have been in England in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the estimated number of whole-time equivalent optometrists since 1997. Information is not available for numbers of whole- time equivalents (WTEs) for dispensing opticians and ophthalmic medical practitioners.
	
		
			  Estimated number of practising optometrists (WTE) in England 
		
		
			 199798 4,700 
			 199899 4,700 
			 19992000 5,000 
			 200001 5,300 
			 200102 5,600 
			 200203 5,800 
			 200304 6,100

Paluvizumab

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what instructions he has issued to primary care trusts and hospital trusts to ensure that they comply with the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations on the use of paluvizumab to immunise premature babies against respiratory syncytial virus.

Melanie Johnson: The recommendations from Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations are published on the Department's website at: www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/jcvi/mins01nov02.htm
	It is a matter for clinical governance on how these recommendations are implemented.

Personal Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will revise his estimate of the cost of providing free personal care to take account of (a) the current review of eligibility for NHS continuing care and (b) changes to the amount of funding for free nursing care since January 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 17 March 2005
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 137W.

Radiologists

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to increase the number of specialists in interventional radiology.

John Hutton: A range of initiatives are in place to help expand the national health service work force, including the number of clinical radiologists who undertake interventional radiological procedures. These initiatives include improving pay and conditions, encouraging the NHS to become a better, more flexible and diverse employer, help with accessing child care, increasing training, attracting back returners and running national and international recruitment campaigns. In addition, we are aiming to further boost consultant numbers by centrally funding up to 226 additional specialist registrar places in clinical radiology between 200203 and 200506. Up to 60 of these additional posts are for the new clinical radiology academies set to modernise training in clinical radiology in 200506.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts and hospital trusts have put in place a respiratory syncytial virus preventive treatment programme in compliance with the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisations.

Melanie Johnson: We do not routinely collect this information.

Sexual Health Services

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what use Kingston hospital trust in Surrey has made of the access money provided for sexual health services;
	(2)  what plans he has for increased provision of sexual health services.

Melanie Johnson: The Department has invested 26 million since 200203 to pump-prime improvements to sexual health services. It is for the national health service locally to decide how this money can best be spent in order to meet local needs, and no information is held centrally on how the allocations are used by individual trusts.
	A further 15 million capital funding was also made available in 200405 to improve genito-urinary medicine (GUM) premises and the Department invited bids for this funding. The Wolverton Centre at Kingston hospital trust was allocated 800,000 of this money.
	The Government have announced investment of 300 million over the next three years through the Public Health White Paper to improve sexual health. This includes 130 million to modernise services, 80 million to accelerate the roll-out of the national chlamydia screening programme by March 2007; 40 million to improve the provision of contraception services and; 50 million to undertake a national media campaign. A new goal of 48-hour maximum waiting times for GUM appointments by 2008 has also been introduced and a national review of GUM services and national audit of contraception services is taking place to disseminate best practice and inform future investment. Sexual health, for the first time, features in the local delivery plans of primary care trusts to strengthen the delivery of service improvements at local level.

Social Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people in England who have social care needs but do not receive social care.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 18 March 2005
	This information is not held centrally.

Springfield Mental Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients subject to sectioning at Springfield mental hospital, Tooting have committed acts of violence outside the hospital in each of the last 10 years while subject to those sections.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not collected centrally.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to increase the participation of problem drug users in drug treatment programmes by 100 per cent. by 2008 will be met.

Melanie Johnson: Figures published on 30 September 2004 by the National Treatment Agency (NTA) for substance misuse show that 54 per cent. more drug users were in contact with drug treatment services in 200304 by comparison to the 199899 baseline. We are on track to achieve the drug treatment target of doubling the number of drug users in contact with treatment by 2008.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to reduce the inequality in mortality rates from cancer between the fifth of areas with the worst health and deprivation indicators and the population as a whole by at least 6 per cent. by 2010 will be met.

Melanie Johnson: Early indications from monitoring of the gap between the fifth of areas with the worst health and deprivation indicators and the population as a whole has suggested that we are on course to deliver a reduction of 6 per cent. by 2010.

Telecommunications Masts

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has examined concerning the effect of 3G phone masts on people's health.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 17 March 2005
	The National Radiological Protection Board provides statutory advice on risks from exposure to radiation and electromagnetic fields. Their recent publication Mobile Phones and Health 2004 (Documents of the NRPB, Vol 15, No 5, 2004) reviewed the possible health implications of mobile phones and base stations including the newer technologies such as third generation (3G). The NRPB reiterated the Stewart Report (2000) concludes that:
	the balance of evidence indicates that there is no general risk to the health of people living near to base stations on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of guidelines.
	Measurements around 3G base stations undertaken by both NRPB (www.nrpb.org) and by Ofcom (www.ofcom.org.uk) have consistently shown that exposures to the radio signals from base stations are lower than the guidelines published by the International Commission on Non-ionising Radiation Protection.
	Following an unexplained result on 3G base station exposures, undertaken in the Netherlands in 2003, the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme in this country is now supporting a research study at the University of Essex into the symptoms experienced by 3G signals on volunteers.

Telecommunications Masts

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has received reports concerning the health effects of mobile phone masts which he has not made public.

Melanie Johnson: Reports received by the Department on health effects associated with mobile phone technology have usually appeared in scientific journals or on the internet. The Department sometimes receives unpublished accounts, reports or letters, which it passes on to the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) for a considered view. The NRPB, or its independent Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation (AGNIR), have published reviews of the scientific knowledge based on the totality of work to date.
	AGNIR provided a comprehensive review of the science Health Effects from Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields, (Documents of the NRPB, Vol 14, No2, 2003). More recently, the NRPB reviewed the progress on implementing the recommendations in the 2000 Stewart Report in Mobile Phones and Health 2004 (Documents of the NRPB, Vol 15, No 5, 2004). These reports are available on the NRPB website (www.nrpb.org)

Telecommunications Masts

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects on people with heart problems of the radiation emitted from mobile phone masts, with particular reference to those with pacemakers.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 17 March 2005
	The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and its predecessor the Medical Devices Agency (MDA) has monitored research activities undertaken by pacemaker manufacturers to assess potential pacemaker interference from mobile phones, by participating in European and International pacemaker safety standards committees.
	For implanted pacemakers the power level and severity of interference signals from phone masts is much less than for mobile phones in proximity to the patients. MHRA issued guidance to clinicians about possible interference effects to pacemakers from mobile telephones in February 1996, via Pacemaker Technical Note PTN 61, which advised a minimum phone to pacemaker separation distance of 15 centimetres.

Toxic Waste

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential health effects on infant children exposed to toxic waste from former steelworks; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The Department has not undertaken any such assessment.

Visual Impairment

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of the population which is visually impaired in (a) one eye and (b) both eyes; and what assessment he has made of likely future changes in these proportions.

Stephen Ladyman: At March 2003, 157,000 people were on the register of blind people in England and 155,000 people were on the register of partially sighted people.
	Registration of blindness is voluntary so the register does not necessarily include all people who are blind.
	No further information is held by the Department.

West Suffolk Hospital

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the staff complement at the West Suffolk hospital was in each of the last nine years; and what percentage of that total was made up of (a) doctors, (b) nurses, (c) ancillary staff and (d) administrative, managerial and clerical staff in each year.

Stephen Ladyman: The staff complement at the West Suffolk hospital national health service trust for each year for the last nine years, and the percentage of the total as made up of doctors, nurses, ancillary staff and administrative, managerial and clerical staff for each year is shown in the following table.
	
		NHS staff in the West Suffolk hospital NHS trust by main staff group and percentage total of each, as at 30 Septembereach specified year
		
			 headcount and percentage headcount 
			  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 
		
		
			 All staff 2,029 2,215 2,084 1,996 2,237 
			 Professionally qualified clinical stafftotal 947 1,209 1,079 1,029 1,140 
			 Professionally qualified clinical stafftotal percentage 46.7 54.6 51.8 51.6 51.0 
			 Medical and dental staff 155 173 173 183 177 
			 Medical and dental staffpercentage 7.6 7.8 5.3 9.2 7.9 
			 Qualified nurses 609 819 688 612 719 
			 Qualified nursespercentage 30.0 37.0 33.0 30.7 32.1 
			 Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical (ST and T) 183 217 218 234 244 
			 Qualified ST and Tpercentage 9.0 9.8 10.5 11.7 10.9 
			 Support to clinical stafftotal 570 702 685 666 790 
			 Support to clinical stafftotal percentage 28.1 31.7 32.9 33.4 35.3 
			 Support to doctors and nurses 481 637 630 612 735 
			 Support to doctors and nursespercentage 23.7 28.8 30.2 30.7 32.9 
			 Support to ST and T 89 65 55 54 55 
			 Support to ST and Tpercentage 4.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.5 
			 NHS infrastructure supporttotal 311 296 320 300 307 
			 NHS infrastructure supporttotal percentage 15.3 13.4 15.4 15.0 13.7 
			 Central functions 110 77 78 87 95 
			 Central functionspercentage 5.4 3.5 3.7 4.4 4.2 
			 Hotel property and estate staff 184 180 196 177 178 
			 Hotel property and estate staffpercentage 9.1 8.1 9.4 8.9 8.0 
			 Managers and senior managers 17 39 46 36 34 
			 Managers and senior managerspercentage 0.5 1.8 2.2 1.8 7.5 
			 Other and unknowntotal 201 8 0 1 0 
			 Other and unknowntotal percentage 9.9 0.4 0.0 0.1 0.0 
		
	
	
		headcount and percentage headcount
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 All staff 2,310 2,479 2,596 3,073 
			 Professionally qualified clinical stafftotal 1,199 1,311 1,390 1,583 
			 Professionally qualified clinical stafftotal percentage 51.9 52.9 53.5 51.5 
			 Medical and dental staff 206 208 215 240 
			 Medical and dental staffpercentage 8.9 5.4 5.3 7.5 
			 Qualified nurses 728 832 860 1,001 
			 Qualified nursespercentage 31.5 33.6 33.7 32.6 
			 Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical (ST and T) 265 271 315 342 
			 Qualified ST and Tpercentage 11.5 10.9 72.7 77.7 
			 Support to clinical stafftotal 765 802 834 965 
			 Support to clinical stafftotal percentage 33.1 32.4 32.7 37.4 
			 Support to doctors and nurses 714 737 770 888 
			 Support to doctors and nursespercentage 30.9 29.7 29.7 25. 9 
			 Support to ST and T 51 65 64 77 
			 Support to ST and Tpercentage 2.2 2.6 2.5 2.5 
			 NHS infrastructure supporttotal 346 366 372 525 
			 NHS infrastructure supporttotal percentage 15.0 74.5 74.3 77.7 
			 Central functions 99 114 112 112 
			 Central functionspercentage 4.3 4.6 4.3 3.6 
			 Hotel property and estate staff 213 217 220 368 
			 Hotel property and estate staffpercentage 9.2 5.5 5.5 12.0 
			 Managers and senior managers 34 35 40 45 
			 Managers and senior managerspercentage 7.5 1.4 7.5 7.5 
			 Other and unknowntotal 0 0 0 0 
			 Other and unknowntotal percentage 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health non-medical workforce census.

West Suffolk Hospital

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) acute and (b) non-acute beds there were in West Suffolk Hospital in each of the last nine years.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of acute and non-acute beds at West Suffolk Hospital in each of the last nine years are shown in the table.
	
		Average daily number of available beds in West Suffolk Hospital (RGR)
		
			  Name All beds (A) Acute beds (B) Non-acute beds (A minus B) 
		
		
			 200304 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 676 432 244 
			 200203 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 638 422 216 
			 200102 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 679 441 238 
			 200001 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 687 445 242 
			 19992000 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 664 423 241 
			 199899 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 673 398 275 
			 199798 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 713 381 332 
			 199697 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 685 367 318 
			 199596 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	Note:
	n/anot available.
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH03.

West Suffolk Hospital

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the outturn against planned expenditure of the West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust was in each of the last nine years.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department has taken outturn against planned expenditure to mean the retained surplus/(deficit) position for the financial year, as reported in the final accounts of national health service trusts.
	The table shows the retained surplus/(deficit) figures reported by the West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust from 199697 to 200304, which is the latest year for which figures are available. Data relating to the accounts of individual NHS bodies are not held prior to 199697.
	
		
			  Retained surplus/(deficit) (000) 
		
		
			 199697 432 
			 199798 (32) 
			 199899 28 
			 19992000 (286) 
			 200001 290 
			 200102 (936) 
			 200203 947 
			 200304 (2,501)

Wirral, South

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what per capita spending on health was in Wirral, South in (a) 1997, (b) 2001 and (c) the last year for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: Expenditure based on individual constituencies is not available. The expenditure per capita on health in Wirral Health Authority area and Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority area is shown in the table.
	
		 per head
		
			  Wirral Health Authority area Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority area 
		
		
			 199798 557.21 n/a 
			 200102 872.21 n/a 
			 200304 n/a 1,063.39 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Expenditure is taken from audited health authority summarisation forms and primary care trust summarisation schedules which are prepared on a resource basis and therefore differ from cash allocations in the year. Figures are given in cash terms.
	2. Allocations per weighted head of population provide a much more reliable measure to identify differences between funding of health authorities and primary care trusts.
	3. Figures for 199798 and 200102 have been prepared using gross expenditure figures. Figures for 200304 have been adjusted to eliminate expenditure which would be double counted where an authority acts as a lead in commissioning healthcare or other services.
	Sources:
	1. Wirral Health Authority audited accounts 199798.
	2. Wirral Health Authority audited summarisation forms 200102.
	3. Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority audited summarisation forms 200304.
	4. Primary care trust audited summarisation schedules 200102 and 200304 for bodies within the above health authority areas.
	5. Weighted population figures.

Wirral, South

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average wait for operations on the NHS in Wirral, South was in (a) 1997, (b) 2001 and (c) the last year for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not available in the format requested. However, information relating to the Wirral Hospitals National Health Service Trust is shown in the table.
	
		Method of admission: elective (waiting list and booked cases). Mean and median time waited (days) for all operations. Wirral Hospitals NHS Trust 199798, 200102, 200304
		
			 Days 
			  Average waiting time Median waiting time 
		
		
			 199798 69 41 
			 200102 81 45 
			 200304 90 48 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The main operation is the first recorded operation in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and is usually the most resource intensive procedure performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main operation when looking at admission details eg time waited but the figures for all operations count of episodes give a more complete count of episodes with an operation.
	2. A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the data year. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	3. Time waited statistics from HES are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. HES provides count and time waited for all patients admitted to hospital within a given period whereas the published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment on a specific date and how long they have been on the waiting list. Also HES, calculates the time waited as the difference between the admission and decision to admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension.
	4. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (ie the data are ungrossed).
	Source:
	HES, Department of Health.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has (a) recruited workers previously employed in the poppy industry and (b) used funds to purchase poppy crops in Afghanistan since 1997.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 18 March 2005
	The Ministry of Defence employs a number of Afghan civilians. While we do not retain records on these individuals' involvement, if any, in poppy cultivation, their employment is a positive contribution to the legitimate labour market in Afghanistan.
	United Kingdom Armed Forces have not used funds to purchase poppy crops, including in the period since 1997.

Armed Forces Discipline

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel have spent time in military prison since 1997 on charges of (a) assault, (b) sexual offences and (c) absence without leave.

Ivor Caplin: The number of armed forces personnel who have served a period of detention since April 1997 to date at the Military Corrective Training Centre, following a conviction for assault, sexual offences or absence without leave (AWOL) is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Assault 1,573 
			 Sexual Offences 167 
			 AWOL 5,636

Army Medal Office

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the performance against target in the most recent period for which figures are available was for the issuing of each medal issued by the Army Medal Office; and what his most recent assessment of the total number of applications for each medal awaiting processing is.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 14 March 2005
	The Army Medal Office started recording medal statistics on a weekly basis beginning week-ending 23 April 2004, and the records from this date to the week ending 25 February 2005 are as follows:
	
		
			  Cases outstanding 
			 Medal group 23 April 2004 28 February 2005 
		
		
			 GSM Canal Zone 22,450 13,496 
			 Historic 3,672 5,726 
			 Conduct 568 660 
			 Reserve and Cadets 595 480 
			 Current 1,573 1,050 
			 Replacements and Next of Kin 1,343 1,937 
			 Iraq Not Applicable 18,543 
			 Total Outstanding 30,201 41,892 
		
	
	Since April 2004, an average of 1,518 applications were cleared each week against a target of 1,500.
	During this period 73,788 new applications have been received, and of these 48,898 were for the Iraq medal and 9,077 for the Canal Zone.

Army Recruitment

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2005, Official Report, column 732W, on army recruitment, whether the future establishment for (a) signals, (b) intelligence, (c) logistics and (d) engineers has been finalised.

Adam Ingram: The adjustments to the size and shape of the Army envisaged as part of the process of moving to the Future Army Structure will take some years to implement. When they are complete, we anticipate that the revised establishments of the Royal Engineers, Royal Signals, Royal Logistics Corps and Intelligence Corps will be as shown in the following table. It should be noted that these figures will be subject to further refinement as the Army continues to work through the changes associated with the Future Army Structure programme.
	
		
			 Arm/Service Future establishment 
		
		
			 Royal Engineers 10,020 
			 Royal Signals 8,550 
			 Royal Logistic Corps 16,390 
			 Intelligence Corps 1,840 
		
	
	Note:
	All figures are as at 1 January 2005 and are rounded to the nearest 5.

Chinook Crash

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 1141W, on Chinook Crash, how many days passed between the day on which Flight Lieutenant Jonathan Tapper had a change made to his self-authorisation status to fly Chinook helicopters and (a) the day on which he requested that he be allowed to retain an HC1 Chinook helicopter at Aldergrove and (b) the crash of the HC2 Chinook he captained.

Adam Ingram: A Sub RAF Form 1575 approving self-authorisation was signed on 23 May 1994. Flight Lieutenant Tapper requested the retention of a Chinook HC1 on 27 May 1994 and Chinook ZD576 crashed on 2 June 1994.
	Approval for self-authorisation is reviewed whenever a pilot transfers from one Station or Squadron to another and/or when the Station or Squadron Commander changes. Additionally, Station and Squadron Commanders may review self-authorisation status as the need arises.

Chinook Crash

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 1141W, on Chinook Crash, whether members of the Chinook squadron other than Flight Lieutenants Jonathan Tapper and Rick Cook, based at RAF Odiham or RAF Aldergrove had their status altered between 23 May and 2 June 1994 to allow them to self-authorise on VIP flights.

Adam Ingram: We are unable to ascertain from extant documentation whether or not any other members of the Chinook Squadrons had their self-authorising status changed in respect of VIP flights between the dates in question.

Chinook Crash

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2005, Official Report, column 1141W, on Chinook Crash, who authorised the change in self-authorisation status made on 23 May 1994 to Flight Lieutenants Jonathan Tapper and Rick Cook; and what types of flights they were authorised to fly prior to 23 May 1994.

Adam Ingram: Self-authorisation status was approved on 23 May 1994 by the Station Commander, RAF Aldergrove. On 5 April 1994, in an approval signed by the Station Commander, RAF Odiham, both Flight Lieutenants (Flt Lts) Tapper and Cook are shown as able to authorise Squadron routine training and standard operating check flights, Squadron task flying, low flying, qualified helicopter instructional flying, fighter affiliation and associated specialist training on Chinook. Additionally, Flt Lt Cook could authorise Squadron routine training and standard operating check flights, Squadron task flying, low flying, air test, qualified helicopter instructional flying and associated specialist training on Gazelle helicopters.

Christmas Cards

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many official Christmas cards were sent out by his Department in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004;
	(2)  what the cost was of purchasing official departmental Christmas cards in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004;
	(3)  what the cost of postage was for official departmental Christmas cards in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004;
	(4)  what percentage of official departmental Christmas cards included a contribution to charity in their cost; and which charities benefited from such a contribution;
	(5)  how many departmental staff have responsibility for preparing Christmas cards;
	(6)  how many hours of staff time were taken up in preparation of Christmas cards in 2004.

Ivor Caplin: Expenditure on the purchase and postage of official Christmas cards is governed by departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government Accounting. This allows for Ministers, members of the Defence Council, Head of Defence Export Services and the Director General of Media and Communications to send Christmas cards at public expense. Additionally, resulting from representational responsibilities at management levels below the Defence Council, individual Top Level Budget Holders may personally send a modest amount of Christmas cards at public expense. The regulations also allow for some TLB business areas to send official Christmas cards (on an exceptional basis) where this would facilitate the achievement of specific business objectives.
	The information we have for 2003 and 2004 is as follows:
	
		
			  2003 2004 
		
		
			 Number of cards(33) 1,972 2,183 
			 Cost () 1,743 1,664 
			 Charity (percentage) n/k (34)9 
			 Postage (35) (35) 
			 Staff (36) (36) 
			 Staff time (36) (36) 
		
	
	(33) Purchased with public funds.
	(34) Nine per cent. were notified as bought from charitable organisations. The charities benefiting from this were the Army Benevolent Fund and the RAF Benevolent Fund.
	(35) Accurate information on the cost of postage of official department Christmas cards is not held centrally.
	(36) Information on the number of staff involved in the preparation of Christmas cards and the staff time taken is not held centrally.

Civilian/Service Jobs (Scotland)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's (a) civilian and (b) service jobs there were at each (i) Royal Navy, (ii) Army, (iii) Royal Air Force and (iv) Reserves defence installation in Scotland for the year ended (A) 1 April 2004, (B) 1 April 2001 and (C) 1 April 1997; what the most recent available figures are; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 21 March 2005
	Figures for the number of civilian jobs by defence installation are not held centrally. Defence Analytical Services Agency does however publish figures for the number of personnel employed in Scotland. These can be found in the annual UK Defence Statistics, a copy of which is placed in the Library of the House and can also be accessed via the DASA website: www.dasa.mod.uk.
	Figures for the number of Service jobs by defence installation are not held centrally. Tri Service Publication (TSP) 10, shows the distribution of UK Regular forces across UK by Government Office Region and local authority. Copies of TSP 10 can be found in the Library of the House.

Defence Information Infrastructure

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the financing for the Defence Information Infrastructure will divert funds from other military programmes.

Ivor Caplin: There are no plans to divert additional funds to finance the Defence Information Infrastructure. Funding for Defence Information Infrastructure is provided as part of the current Defence-wide programme which seeks to ensure the optimum balance of capabilities to deliver Government objectives within available resources.

Departmental Efficiency Programme

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the planned headcount changes attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Pay and Personnel Agency, (b) Queen Victoria School, (c) RAF Training Group Defence Agency, (d) Service Children's Education, (e) Veterans Agency and (f) Warship Support Agency for financial years (i) 200506, (ii) 200607 and (iii) 200708;
	(2)  what the planned headcount changes attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Commander-in-Chief Fleet, (b) General Officer Commanding (Northern Ireland), (c) Commander-in-Chief Land Command, (d) Commander-in-Chief Strike Command, (e) Chief of Joint Operations and (f) Chief of Defence Logistics for financial years (i) 200506, (ii) 200607 and (iii) 200708;
	(3)  what the planned headcount changes attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Second Sea Lord/Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command, (b) Adjutant General, (c) Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command, (d) Central, (e) Defence Procurement Agency and (f) Corporate Science and Technology for financial years (i) 200506, (ii) 200607 and (iii) 200708;
	(4)  what the planned headcount changes, attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency, (b) Army Training and Recruiting Agency, (c) British Forces Post Office, (d) Defence Analytical Services Agency and (e) Defence Bills Agency for financial years (i) 200506, (ii) 200607 and (iii) 200708;
	(5)  what the planned headcount changes, attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Defence Communication Services Agency, (b) Defence Dental Agency, (c) Defence Estates, (d) Defence Geographic and Imagery Intelligence Agency and (e) Defence Intelligence and Security Centre for financial years (i) 200506, (ii) 200607 and (iii) 200708;
	(6)  what the planned headcount changes, attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Defence Medical Training Agency, (b) Defence Procurement Agency, (c) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency, (d) Defence Transport and Movements Agency and (e) Defence Vetting Agency for financial years (i) 200506, (ii) 200607 and (iii) 200708;
	(7)  what the planned headcount changes, attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Disposal Services Agency, (b) Duke of York's Royal Military School, (c) Medical Supply Agency, (d) Ministry of Defence and Guarding Agency and (e) Naval Recruiting and Training Agency for financial years (i) 200506, (ii) 200607 and (iii) 200708.

Ivor Caplin: The Spending Review announcement in July 2004 committed the MOD to reductions of some 10,000 UK-based civilian posts plus 1,000 locally engaged civilian posts overseas by April 2008.
	Agreements have been reached between Top Level Budget Holders (TLBs) and the Defence Resource and Planning Division (Def RP) on the number of civilian posts to be reduced during the next three financial years (i.e. in the period to 31 March 2008). A table showing a breakdown by TLB follows. This table represents our current assessment of how the reductions will be achieved (in some cases final decisions have yet to be taken) and it is not yet clear how the reductions will affect individual establishments.
	
		Civilian headcount reductions by TLB
		
			  Financial year 
			  200506 200607 200708 
		
		
			 DLO
			 Reductions programmed in STP -690 -1,340 -1,780 
			 
			 DCP headcount reduction -1,850 -2,050 -3,790 
			 LEC measure headcount reduction 0 -10 -30 
			 Other rationalisation and efficiencies 0 0 -160 
			 Force structure reductions 0 0 0 
			 Other headcount reductions
			 Total -1,850 -2,060 -3,980 
			 
			 Total plus STP programmed reductions -2,540 -3,400 -5,760 
			 
			 DPA
			 Reductions programmed in STP +10 -30 -260 
			 
			 DCP headcount reduction 0 -60 -100 
			 LEC measure headcount reduction 0 0 0 
			 Other rationalisation and efficiencies 0 0 0 
			 Force structure reductions 0 -40 -90 
			 Other headcount reductions (image IPT) -10 +10 0 
			 Total -10 -90 -190 
			 
			 Total plus STP programmed reductions 0 -120 -450 
			 
			 2SL/FLEET
			 Reductions programmed in STP -10 -30 -40 
			 
			 DCP headcount reduction -20 -40 -40 
			 LEC measure headcount reduction 0 0 0 
			 Other rationalisation and efficiencies 0 -80 -180 
			 Force structure reductions 0 -30 -60 
			 Total -20 -150 -280 
			 
			 Total plus STP programmed reductions(37) -30 -180 -320 
			 RFA manning uplift (STPO5) +80 +160 +140 
			 Total +50 -20 -180 
			 LAND
			 Reductions programmed in STP -200 -150 -150 
			 
			 DCP headcount reduction 0 -70 -240 
			 LEC measure headcount reduction 0 -180 -350 
			 Other rationalisation and efficiencies -30 -100 -370 
			 Force structure reductions 0 0 -20 
			 Other headcount reductions (Allenby  Connaught) -280 -280 -280 
			 Total -310 -630 -1,260 
			 
			 Total plus STP programmed reductions -510 -780 -1,410 
			 
			 AG
			 Reductions programmed in STP +10 +10 0 
			 
			 DCP headcount reduction 0 -40 -190 
			 LEC measure headcount reduction 0 0 0 
			 Other rationalisation and efficiencies 0 0 -80 
			 Force structure reductions 0 0 -60 
			 Other headcount reductions 0 0 0 
			 Total 0 -40 -330 
			 
			 Total plus STP programmed reductions +10 -30 -330 
			 
			 GOCNI
			 Reductions programmed in STP -10 -10 -10 
			 
			 DCP headcount reduction 0 -30 -100 
			 LEC measure headcount reduction 0 0 0 
			 Other rationalisation and efficiencies 0 0 0 
			 Force structure reductions 0 -30 -50 
			 Other headcount reductions
			 Total 0 -60 -150 
			 
			 Total plus STP programmed reductions -10 -70 -160 
			 
			 STC
			 Reductions programmed in STP +30 +10 -120 
			 
			 DCP headcount reduction -20 -110 -110 
			 LEC measure headcount reduction 0 0 0 
			 Other rationalisation and efficiencies 0 0 -90 
			 Force structure reductions 0 -270 -530 
			 Other headcount reductions
			 Total -20 -380 -730 
			 
			 Total plus STP programmed reductions +10 -370 -850 
			 
			 PTC
			 Reductions programmed in STP -10 -50 -120 
			 
			 DCP headcount reduction -10 -70 -10 
			 LEC measure headcount reduction 0 0 0 
			 Other rationalisation and efficiencies 0 0 -190 
			 Force structure reductions 0 -110 -220 
			 Other headcount reductions
			 Total -10 -180 -420 
			 
			 Total plus STP programmed reductions -40 -200 -330 
			 
			 CJO
			 Reductions programmed in STP -170 -380 -450 
			 
			 DCP headcount reduction 0 0 0 
			 LEC measure headcount reduction 0 -70 -130 
			 Other rationalisation and efficiencies 0 0 0 
			 Force structure reductions 0 0 0 
			 Other headcount reductions +130 +250 +250 
			 Total +130 +180 +120 
			 
			 Total plus STP programmed reductions -40 -200 -330 
			 CTLB
			 Reductions programmed in STP +20 -80 -170 
			 
			 DCP headcount reduction +40 +20 +60 
			 LEC measure headcount reduction 0 -20 -50 
			 Other rationalisation and efficiencies 0 -200 -400 
			 Force structure reductions 0 -20 -40 
			 Other headcount reductions
			 Total +40 -220 -430 
			 
			 Total plus STP programmed reductions +60 -300 -600 
			 
			 DEF Estates
			 Reductions programmed in STP -230 -620 -710 
			 
			 DCP headcount reduction 0 0 0 
			 LEC measure headcount reduction 0 0 0 
			 Other rationalisation and efficiencies 0 0 0 
			 Force structure reductions 0 0 0 
			 Other headcount reductions
			 Total 0 0 0 
			 
			 Total plus STP programmed reductions -230 -620 -710 
			 
			 SC
			 Reductions programmed in STP 0 0 0 
			 
			 DCP headcount reduction 0 0 0 
			 LEC measure headcount reduction 0 0 0 
			 Other rationalisation and efficiencies 0 0 0 
			 Force structure reductions 0 0 0 
			 Other headcount reductions
			 Total 0 0 0 
			 
			 Total plus STP programmed reductions 0 0 0 
		
	
	(37) Excludes Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) personnel but includes HR and Finance Function Reductions.
	Notes:
	1. Totals shown are cumulative. Numbers are set out to the nearest 10, and represent our current assessment of how these reductions will be achieved (in some cases final decisions have yet to be taken). Numbers are based on full-time equivalent mid-year averages and include locally employed civilians (LEG). These figures do not include civilians employed in trading funds.
	2. Reductions Programmed in STPThese are posts which have been assumed will not continue from previous years' planning rounds. These posts fall mainly within the DLO, although some smaller reductions also fall within other TLBs and are due mainly to reorganisation measures which were ongoing prior to the efficiency programme.
	3. DCP Headcount ReductionThese are posts which are being reduced as a result of the Department's major change initiativethe defence change programme (DCP).
	4. LEC Measure Headcount ReductionIn addition to the reduction in numbers of UK-based civil servant, the number of locally employed civilians (LECs) employed supporting permanently based forces is planned to reduce by up to 1,000 in the same time frame. Numbers of LECs employed in operational theatres have not been included in the planning.
	5. Other Rationalisation and EfficienciesThese are posts which are being reduced as a result of non-defence change programme efficiency initiatives. The majority of these posts will come from reduced requirements for staff in, for example, the Head Office in Whitehall and in other Headquarters.
	6. Force Structure ReductionsPosts which will be reduced as a result of changes to the force structure.
	7. Other Headcount ReductionsPosts which are being reduced for reasons not included in the categories above.

Departmental Records Office (Hayes)

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2004, Official Report, column 1542W, on Departmental Records Office (Hayes), what action he plans to take in response to agency staff employed by TNT being found in possession of drugs.

Ivor Caplin: TNT have a strict policy of zero tolerance of drug and alcohol abuse. The same policy applies at all TNT sites, and will continue in force at the Hayes site until its eventual closure. In accordance with this policy, the agency staff at Hayes found to be in possession of drugs have been dismissed. No further action is required.

Depleted Uranium

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the effect of depleted uranium shells on (a) current and (b) former (i) personnel of his Department and (ii) soldiers; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: The Depleted Uranium Oversight Board (DUOB), an independent committee established by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is measuring uranium in the urine of personnel who served in the first Gulf Conflict 199091 and in the Balkans Operations. This work includes personnel who have been discharged from service as well as those who are still serving. Similarly, under MOD's biological monitoring policy, the Defence Radiological Protection Service (DRPS) is assessing uranium in urine of both military personnel and MOD civilians on operationsincluding Operation Telic in Iraqwhere there is potential for exposure. Depleted Uranium in urine is also being measured in a sample of personnel from across the battlefield as part of a wider study into the physical and psychological health of Operation Telic participants by King's College, London.

Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has held with Edinburgh Military Tattoo Ltd. on the impact of the planned restructuring of the Scottish regiments on the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 15 March 2005
	The planned restructuring of the Scottish regiments will not have any impact on the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and there have been no discussions on this subject between the Ministry of Defence and Edinburgh Military Tattoo Ltd.

EU Intelligence Sharing and Co-ordination Service

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2005, Official Report, column 13W, on EU Intelligence Sharing and Co-ordination Service, if he will list those documents, with security grading and caveat, that have been supplied to the EU Intelligence Sharing and Co-ordination Service by his Department; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the nature of departmental material that may be supplied.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 355W, by my hon. Friend the Minister for Europe.

Flight Plans

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances ranks higher than Flight Lieutenant in the RAF would have been required to approve flight plans prior to June 1994.

Adam Ingram: Navigation, training or transit sorties (including low level) have not, in the last 30 years, required specific approval by an officer above Flight Lieutenant rank. However, plans for sorties involving multi-aircraft formations conducting air combat manoeuvring or low level evasion training typically require authorisation by an officer of Squadron Leader rank or higher; this requirement has been in place for many years and remains unchanged to date.

Historical Records

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with (a) the national record office at Kew and (b) Army archives about the First World War records at Hayes;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to preserve the First World War records at Hayes.

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to preserve the medal index cards from the First World War for posterity.

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to safeguard the card records of medals issued to First World War personnel pending discussions with the Imperial War Museum, the Veterans' Association and others on a possible future home for their storage; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: The only collection of records relating solely to the First World War still held by the Ministry of Defence is the Army medal cards. More than 80 years after the end of the conflict, there is no administrative reason for the Ministry of Defence to hold the cards.
	The National Archives has microfilmed the front of these cards, which in most cases contains all the information they hold, and they are now available to researchers (in Class WO 372) in microfilmed format at Kew and through the National Archives website online.
	Ministry of Defence staff routinely discuss questions relating to records which may be worthy of permanent preservation with the National Archives staff, and both recognise the historical interest in the medal cards. With the agreement of the National Archives, the Ministry of Defence has been approaching institutions in the hope of finding one to which the cards could be presented. So far this exercise has been without success, but discussions continue.

Infantry Future Army Structure

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 24 January 2005, Official Report, column 50W, on Infantry Future Army Structure, whether recruitment will operate at (a) regimental and (b) battalion level for the (i) Mercian Regiment, (ii) Yorkshire Regiment and (iii) Royal Regiment of Scotland.

Ivor Caplin: Under the Infantry Future Army Structure arrangements, it is intended that recruitment to the Mercian Regiment, Yorkshire Regiment and the Royal Regiment of Scotland will be by Regiment, rather than individual battalion.

Low-flying Training

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which areas of the UK military low-flying training is carried out.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 21 March 2005
	The whole of the United Kingdom, in principle, is open to low-flying training by military aircraft, although there are areas that are specifically excluded. These include the restricted airspace around civil aerodromes, glider sites, certain industrial sites, the major conurbations and other large centres of population (those towns with over 10,000 inhabitants). Coventry falls within the avoidance area afforded to the West Midlands Conurbation, which also includes Birmingham International Airport. For further details my hon. Friend may wish to consult the report The Pattern of Military Low Flying across the United Kingdom which is placed in the Library of the House on an annual basis.

Medium Sector

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which battalions in each division will be earmarked to the medium sector in the Future Infantry Structure; and when he expects them to commence progress towards the medium sector.

Adam Ingram: The Future Infantry Structure was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 16 December 2004. Work is continuing to define the roles and locations of individual battalions.
	The Future Army Structure highlighted the requirement for a Medium Weight Capability. Achievement of this capability is being scoped and will identify the force elements that will deliver it, both in the interim and in the long term. Until this work is complete the identity of the battalions to whom this role will be assigned will not be confirmed.

Military Aircraft Crashes

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 24 February 2005, Official Report, column 804W, on military aircraft crashes, how many of the military accidents listed involved fatalities in each year.

Adam Ingram: The following table repeats the information given in my answer of 24 February 2005, Official Report, column 804W, with an additional column showing the number of those accidents that resulted in fatalities.
	
		
			  Number of air accidents Number of air accidents involving fatalities 
		
		
			 1993 12 5 
			 1994 10 5 
			 1995 10 5 
			 1996 12 3 
			 1997 9 2 
			 1998 7 4 
			 1999 12 5 
			 2000 8 0 
			 2001 9 3 
			 2002 8 2 
			 2003 2 4 
			 2004 6 3 
			 Total 105 41

Military Bodies (Funding)

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the grant-in-aid for the (a) Commonwealth War Graves Commission, (b) Ghurkha Welfare Scheme, (c) Welfare Council, (d) Victoria/George Cross, (e) Royal British LegionPolish Ex-Servicemen and (f) Royal British LegionWar Graves was for financial years 199798 to 200304.

Ivor Caplin: The Grant-in-Aid payments for financial years 199798 to 200304 were:
	
		000
		
			  199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			 Commonwealth War Graves Commission(38) 22,271 21,990 23,038 23,503 23,498 26,251 28,942 
			 Gurkha Welfare Scheme(39) 300 400 380 460 560 710 800 
			 Welfare Council 67 66 79 43 56 78 58 
			 Victoria and George Cross Association(40) 0 30 0 22 0 21 0 
			 Royal British LegionPolish Ex-Servicemen (41) 192 259 185 266 181 205 205 
			 Royal British LegionWar Graves(42) 147 147 125 100 127 127 127 
		
	
	(38) The United Kingdom Government provides the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) with a grant-in-aid for the maintenance of World War graves. Payment is made by each Commonwealth country in proportion to the number of war graves. The UK's share is 78.431 per cent.
	(39) The Gurkha Welfare Scheme is the field operating arm of the Gurkha Welfare Trust.
	(40) The Victoria Cross (VC) and George Cross (GC) Association receives a biennial grant-in-aid to assist recipients (plus two accompanying relatives) to travel to their biennial reunion in London.
	(41)The Polish Ex-Service Personnel Welfare Fund provides a regular allowance to members of the Polish forces who served under British command during the Second World War and subsequently settled in the UK. The War Widow/ers Pilgrimage Scheme enables widows and widowers who lost their husband or wife overseas between 1914 and 1967 to make one visit to their grave. Both schemes are administered on behalf of the Ministry of Defence by the Royal British Legion.
	(42)The Polish Ex-Service Personnel Welfare Fund provides a regular allowance to members of the Polish forces who served under British command during the Second World War and subsequently settled in the UK. The War Widow/ers Pilgrimage Scheme enables widows and widowers who lost their husband or wife overseas between 1914 and 1967 to make one visit to their grave. Both schemes are administered on behalf of the Ministry of Defence by the Royal British Legion.

Military Bodies (Funding)

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the grant-in-aid for the (a) Scott Polar Research Institute, (b) Air Training Corps, (c) Atlantic Council, (d) Skill Force and (e) Millennium String-Pearls was for financial years 199798 to 200304.

Ivor Caplin: The grants-in-aid were as follows:
	
		000
		
			  199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			 Scott Polar Research Institute 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 
			 Air Training Corps 125 121 19 19 39 27 14 
			 Atlantic Council 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Skill Force 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Millennium String-Pearls 0 0 30 10 0 0 0

Military Deployment

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops are serving in (a) Sierra Leone, (b) Afghanistan, (c) East Timor and (d) the Falkland Islands, broken down by (i) rank and (ii) regiment.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Theatre Officers Senior NCOs Other Ranks 
		
		
			 Sierra Leone
			 9 March 2005 58 41 5 
			 
			 Afghanistan
			 6 March 2005 161 158 590 
			 
			 East Timor
			 11 March 2005 0 0 0 
			 
			 Falkland Islands
			 31 January 2005 165 305 991 
		
	
	The Afghan Roulemont Infantry Battalion (ARIB) is currently 1st Battalion the Worcestershire and Sherwood Forester Regiment and in the Falkland Islands, the Resident Infantry Coy (RIC) is provided from the Queens Lancashire Regiment. Troops serving in the other theatres are not from formed units.

Ministerial Travel

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Ministers who have served in the current Government since 1997 have used aircraft in the Queen's Flight for visits which have been wholly or partially of a personal nature; on what dates such visits took place; and which Ministers have made payments to the taxpayer to cover the cost of that usage.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence is not routinely made aware whether ministerial usage of No.32 (The Royal) Squadron is wholly or partially of a personal nature.
	Travel by Ministers makes clear that special flights may be authorised when a scheduled service is not available, or when it is essential to travel by air, but the requirements of official or parliamentary business or security considerations or urgency preclude the journey being made by a scheduled service. In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year. The list published in 1999 covers the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 1999. Where RAF/Private Charter aircraft are used this is shown in the list. Where there is an element of personal business, this is also shown. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of these are available in the Library of the House. Information for 200405 will be published in due course.
	All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Parliamentary Questions

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will answer the question from the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South, ref 199990.

Adam Ingram: I replied to the hon. Member on 28 February 2005.

Project Allenby/Connaught

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to sign a contract with the Aspire consortium in connection with Project Allenby/Connaught; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: Subject to the successful outcome of ongoing commercial negotiations it is hoped to sign the contract in the summer of 2005.

RAF Recruitment

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on recruitment to the RAF.

Ivor Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 March 2005, Official Report, columns 182728W to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell).

Regiments

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who will decide on regimental (a) accoutrements and (b) dress for the proposed King's Lancashire and Border Regiment; and when he expects decisions to be made.

Adam Ingram: A committee of representatives from the King's Own Royal Border Regiment, the King's Regiment and the Queen's Lancashire Regiment will be formed to consider how each of the antecedent regiments will be represented in the regimental dress and accoutrements of the proposed King's, Lancashire and Border Regiment.
	It is anticipated that the committee's decisions will be taken during the second half of 2005. Executive approval from the Army Dress Committee will be required before any announcement is finalised.

Regional Offices

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which (a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) Executive agencies within the remit of his Department have regional offices based on the Government offices for the regions' regional structure; and when the regional offices were established in each case.

Ivor Caplin: The only non-departmental public body within the Ministry of Defence's remit that follows the regional structure of the Government offices for the regions is the advisory body comprising the War Pensions Committees. The War Pensions Committees were set up in 1921 and reconstituted on a regional basis on 1 January 2001.
	The Ministry of Defence has no Executive agencies based on the regional structure of the Government offices for the regions.

Scottish Regiments

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 21 February, Official Report, columns 25455W, on Scottish regiments, who is likely to carry out the study on the future of the Scottish Regimental museums; and when he expects the studies to be completed.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 28 February 2005
	A study into the future of the Army's Corps and Regimental Headquarters, which might also cover issues such as the locations of the Regimental Headquarters in the light of the restructuring of the Army and the Infantry, is under consideration but no decision has yet been taken.
	It will ultimately fall to the MoD and the trustees of the museums to consider their future. The Scottish Division is also looking at a range of regimental issues arising from the formation of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, including the implications for museums.

Sikh Employees

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is on the wearing of the Kirpan by Sikh employees.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence and armed forces are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise and respect different religious beliefs. Sikh personnel in the armed forces and MOD Civil Service are therefore allowed to wear the Kirpan.

Trident

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 15 March 2005, Official Report, column 189W, on Trident, if he will estimate the number of potential casualties which would arise from a malfunction of a Trident nuclear warhead at the base on the Clyde.

Geoff Hoon: It is highly unlikely that a malfunction of a nuclear warhead resulting in a nuclear explosion would occur at the Naval Base on the Clyde. There are no plans to make assessments of potential casualties.

Uniforms

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any samples for the battledress being produced for the Cut and Sew contract which have been tested have been manufactured in Belgium.

Adam Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 22 February 2005, Official Report, column 599W. The fabric samples tested for the combat clothing being produced under the Cut and Sew contract were manufactured in China.

Wind Turbines

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the objections of Defence Estates to the proposal to erect two 100 metre high wind turbines at Uglow Farm, Edgworth; and what the evidential basis is for the claim that these turbines may affect the efficiency of BAE Systems radars at Warton Aerodrome.

Ivor Caplin: An initial assessment of the proposed development at Uglow Farm, Edgworth was carried out last year at the pre-planning stage. This was unfortunately based on a misinterpretation of incomplete co-ordinates provided to the Department. Now that this error has been recognised, the developer has been informed and technical advisers are carrying out an urgent review of the proposal using the correct data. The true location of the proposed wind farm is some distance from that originally assumed, but it would be premature to say whether the radar at Warton will be affected.
	I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as the results of the review are known, and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Working Time Regulations

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

Ivor Caplin: All officials working in the Ministry of Defence ministerial private offices have worked more than one 48 hour week in the last 12 months. Of the individuals involved, just over 10 per cent. had signed a waiver.
	The Working Time Regulations provide workers with the protection of a limit of an average of 48 hours a week working time. This is not an absolute cap of 48 hours in any one week. This average is normally calculated over a 17-week reference period, although this can be longer in certain situations (26 weeks) and can be extended by agreement (up to 52 weeks). Workers may choose to work more than 48 hours per week over the reference period by signing an opt-out agreement, but employers cannot force a worker to sign an opt-out, and workers cannot be subject to detriment for refusing to sign an opt-out.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Consultants

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs with which external consultancy companies contracts are held by his Department.

David Lammy: My Department collects information on the use of external consultancies on an annual basis at the end of the financial year.
	Information relating to current consultancy contracts is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The companies that provided us with consultancy services during 200304 are listed as follows:
	Companies used by DCA/Court Service for provision of consultancy 200304
	Alex Cameron Ltd.
	AMTEC
	Anagram
	Andrew Gibson Consulting
	Ark Consulting
	Ashton Penney
	Atkins Asset Management
	BMI Health Services
	Butcher Doulton Communications
	Cap Gemini
	CGMS Consulting
	CMAS
	Deloitte
	Deloitte  Touche
	Enodian Consultancy
	Fresh Minds
	Frontline Consultancy
	Gartner UK Ltd.
	Global Solutions
	GVA Grimley
	Hedra
	HM Associates
	Norwood Safety Ltd.
	Human Assets
	Insight Consulting
	Integral
	Inventures
	Issan Ghazi Partnership
	Janet Rubin Human Resources
	JMU Access Partnership
	KMC International
	Lan2Lan
	Liberate
	Logica CMG UK Ltd.
	Logsys
	Luther Pendragon
	MORI
	Moulton Hall
	Near Glow
	ORC
	PA Consulting
	Pavillion Publishing
	Penna Change Consultancy
	PKF
	PricewaterhouseCoopers
	The Henley Centre
	Public Partners
	Retail Maxim Ltd.
	Sapphire International
	Sector UK
	SERCO
	SGS UK Ltd.
	STC Energy Management
	Sue Steel Associates
	Towers Perrin
	TSO Consulting
	VP Treen  Associates
	White Young  Green
	WS Atkins
	Xansa
	Yale Consulting

Immigration and Asylum

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the cost of providing legal aid for immigration and asylum cases was in 2004 in Coventry.

David Lammy: The Legal Services Commission contracts with suppliers in Coventry and elsewhere to provide a range of services throughout England and Wales. It is therefore not possible to identify precisely the amount paid for services provided exclusively in Coventry. However, the Legal Services Commission estimates 1.6 million was spent on immigration and asylum cases to suppliers in the Coventry area during 200304.

Ineffective Trials

Joan Humble: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the rate of ineffective trials for (a) Crown and (b) magistrates courts was in each local Criminal Justice Board area in (i) 2001 and (ii) 2005.

Christopher Leslie: We are unable to provide the information for individual magistrates courts without incurring disproportionate cost, but we are able to provide on an LCJB area basis for the Crown and magistrates and on an individual court basis for the Crown.
	LCJB area data collection began in rolling quarter ending June 2001 for the Crown and June 2002 for the magistrates.
	Table A shows Crown and magistrates court LCJB area ineffective trial rates for the earliest point available and for the most recent rolling quarter (ending January 2005).
	Table B shows Crown court ineffective trial rates for rolling quarter ending June 2001 and the most recent rolling quarter, January 2005.
	
		Table A: Crown and magistrates LCJB area ineffective trial rates
		
			 Percentage 
			  Crown Magistrates 
			  Ineffective trial rate quarter ending Ineffective trial rate quarter ending 
			  June 2001 January 2005 June 2002 January 2005 
		
		
			 England and Wales 24.2 15.1 30.8 23.7 
			  
			 Avon and Somerset 25.5 17.4 24.4 13.4 
			 Bedfordshire 24.1 11.4 26.5 33.2 
			 Cambridgeshire 33.3 14.7 23.0 19.2 
			 Cheshire 20.0 11.9 27.5 17.6 
			 Cleveland 25.7 19.1 33.3 20.7 
			 Cumbria 26.5 11.3 20.3 16.5 
			 Derbyshire 20.1 21.8 30.4 26.2 
			 Devon and Cornwall 15.7 12.9 19.4 18.7 
			 Dorset 12.7 6.9 30.2 16.0 
			 Durham 26.4 7.8 24.4 32.0 
			 Dyfed Powys 13.6 9.6 27.2 16.2 
			 Essex 21.6 21.6 30.5 22.8 
			 Gloucestershire 35.6 11.4 23.3 26.4 
			 Greater London 25.7 15.7 39.8 28.7 
			 Greater Manchester 26.7 15.6 27.7 20.1 
			 Gwent 13.4 12.9 35.3 20.7 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 21.3 15.3 33.4 23.7 
			 Hertfordshire 26.9 17.7 32.3 23.3 
			 Humberside 21.6 11.2 38.8 19.1 
			 Kent 24.9 18.3 25.1 22.7 
			 Lancashire 28.2 16.2 27.0 22.8 
			 Leicestershire 33.5 13.7 28.7 24.5 
			 Lincolnshire 14.9 12.3 22.2 21.4 
			 Merseyside 21.8 14.9 37.3 25.9 
			 Norfolk 21.8 10.6 21.1 19.2 
			 North Wales 14.1 19.3 23.6 15.5 
			 North Yorkshire 17.4 23.2 18.9 19.7 
			 Northamptonshire 22.9 6.1 28.7 18.3 
			 Northumbria 22.5 17.8 32.8 25.8 
			 Nottinghamshire 30.3 12.1 36.9 25.0 
			 South Wales 13.5 9.3 27.9 18.5 
			 South Yorkshire 26.3 14.1 24.0 25.5 
			 Staffordshire 16.3 8.6 23.2 20.8 
			 Suffolk 10.7 6.0 21.1 14.2 
			 Surrey 28.4 10.1 23.5 23.2 
			 Sussex 25.3 15.1 39.6 22.7 
			 Thames Valley 20.8 8.6 30.6 20.9 
			 Warwickshire 12.5 15.4 14.4 8.6 
			 West Mercia 26.8 16.1 33.0 26.2 
			 West Midlands 27.9 16.7 26.9 23.8 
			 West Yorkshire 19.7 15.2 27.6 24.9 
			 Wiltshire 16.2 8.7 33.8 20.0 
		
	
	
		Table B: LCJB Crown court ineffective trial rates
		
			 Percentage 
			  Ineffective trial rate quarter ending 
			  January 2001 January 2005 
		
		
			 England and Wales 24.2 15.1 
			
			 Aylesbury Crown 14.6 15.1 
			 Barnstaple Crown 0.0 0.0 
			 Barrow-in-Furness Crown 33.3 50.0 
			 Basildon Crown 20.3 23.1 
			 Birmingham Crown 27.7 19.0 
			 Blackfriars Crown 27.3 18.2 
			 Bolton Crown 28.1 18.0 
			 Bournemouth Crown 12.7 9.1 
			 Bradford Crown 17.4 17.0 
			 Bristol Crown 24.1 19.1 
			 Burnley Crown 32.3 15.2 
			 Caernarfon Crown 6.7 6.7 
			 Cambridge Crown 31.0 6.9 
			 Canterbury Crown 22.3 20.7 
			 Cardiff Crown 13.0 14.5 
			 Carlisle Crown 27.4 9.9 
			 Carmarthen Crown 0.0 14.3 
			 Central Criminal Court 10.6 2.2 
			 Chelmsford Crown 22.7 19.7 
			 Chester Crown 16.7 12.5 
			 Chichester Crown 21.2 9.1 
			 Coventry Crown 20.0 16.1 
			 Croydon Crown 21.9 11.2 
			 Derby Crown 20.5 21.6 
			 Doncaster Crown 32.6 21.8 
			 Durham Crown 38.3 9.2 
			 Exeter Crown 9.3 2.6 
			 Gloucester Crown 35.7 9.1 
			 Grimsby Crown 32.6 8.2 
			 Guildford Crown 28.0 10.1 
			 Harrow Crown 28.0 15.8 
			 Haverfordwest Crown 0.0 0.0 
			 Hereford Crown 0.0 13.0 
			 Hull Crown 15.3 11.7 
			 I.L.S.H. Crown 33.3 18.4 
			 Ipswich Crown 10.9 6.0 
			 Isleworth Crown 25.6 15.5 
			 Kingston upon Thames Crown 30.8 17.8 
			 Knutsford Crown 20.8 23.5 
			 Lancaster Crown 34.1 10.0 
			 Leeds Crown 21.3 13.1 
			 Leicester Crown 33.5 13.7 
			 Lewes Crown 27.7 17.1 
			 Lincoln Crown 16.0 12.3 
			 Liverpool Crown 21.9 14.8 
			 Luton Crown 23.8 12.8 
			 Maidstone Crown 28.3 16.9 
			 Merthyr Tydfil Crown 8.5 6.0 
			 Mold Crown 21.3 29.7 
			 Newcastle Crown 19.7 17.9 
			 Newport (IOW) Crown 29.6 16.7 
			 Newport Crown 15.9 9.1 
			 Northampton Crown 22.2 6.0 
			 Norwich Crown 20.0 10.1 
			 Nottingham Crown 30.0 13.3 
			 Oxford Crown 17.2 3.2 
			 Peterborough Crown 37.1 19.0 
			 Plymouth Crown 20.6 23.1 
			 Portsmouth Crown 13.2 13.3 
			 Preston Crown 25.3 17.4 
			 Reading Crown 24.8 8.8 
			 Salisbury Crown 0.0 12.5 
			 Sheffield Crown 23.9 11.6 
			 Shrewsbury Crown 32.1 22.2 
			 Snaresbrook Crown 29.0 20.5 
			 Southampton Crown 23.1 16.1 
			 Southwark Crown 24.0 14.5 
			 Stafford Crown 20.1 6.9 
			 Swansea Crown 14.8 7.4 
			 Swindon Crown 24.0 9.1 
			 Taunton Crown 20.9 6.7 
			 Teesside Crown 22.7 19.3 
			 Truro Crown 26.7 6.5 
			 Warrington Crown 21.7 7.7 
			 Warwick Crown 16.7 13.0 
			 Weymouth Crown 6.7 0.0 
			 Winchester Crown 30.0 16.5 
			 Wolverhampton Crown 32.0 13.2 
			 Wood Green Crown 20.0 10.9 
			 Woolwich Crown 24.6 12.6 
			 Worcester Crown 23.3 11.3 
			 York Crown 17.8 22.1 
			 Manchester (Minshull Street) Crown 26.6 16.2 
			 Middlesex Guildhall Crown 25.3 10.9 
			 St. Albans Crown 26.7 18.0 
			 Stoke on Trent Crown 17.6 12.9 
			 Manchester (Crown Square) Crown 25.5 12.5

Planning

Andy Burnham: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs in how many cases legal aid has been awarded to challenge a planning decision made by a Secretary of State in each year since 2000.

David Lammy: Challenges against planning decisions made by a Secretary of State are made in the High Court. Civil legal aid is available in such cases subject to the statutory tests of the applicant's means and the merits of the case. The only figures that the Legal Services Commission (LSC) can identify are for appeals against a decision of the Secretary of State under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and/or the Planning Compensation Act 1991. The number of funded cases are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 200001 0 
			 200102 2 
			 200203 1 
			 200304 2 
			 200405 1 
		
	
	The figures given do not cover any challenges of planning decisions made by a Secretary of State by way of Judicial Review. The LSC does not record figures for Judicial Review by way of type of application.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to improve the delivery of justice in all criminal justice system areas, with a greater increase in the worst performing areas;
	(2)  what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to increase the level of confidence in the criminal justice system within ethnic communities;
	(3)  what recent progress has been made towards the Public Service Agreement target to increase the satisfaction of victims and witnesses with the criminal justice system.

Christopher Leslie: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Crime Reduction, Policing and Community Safety on 16 March 2005, Official Report, column 336W.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to improve the level of public confidence in the criminal justice system.

Christopher Leslie: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Home Office on 7 March 2005, Official Report, column 1621w.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

British Virgin Islands

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanisms are in place to ensure that Ministers and officials from the British Virgin Islands are advised of legislative initiatives from the European Commission or Parliament which may impact on the British Virgin Islands.

Denis MacShane: When legislative initiatives that might impact on the British Virgin Islands and other Overseas Territories come to the attention of UK officials, information on them is fed to the Overseas Territories Department in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. This information is then passed on to the territories.

British Virgin Islands

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress his Department has made on the negotiated compensation package between the UK Government and the British Virgin Islands Government.

Denis MacShane: The compensation package agreed with the British Virgin Islands (BVI) Government as part of the discussions on the implementation of the EU Savings Directive is reviewed regularly between Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials and representatives of the BVI Government. Progress has been made on most of the agreed measures with conclusions already reached on some of them.

EU Regulations

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many EU regulations, directives and decisions have been enacted in each year since UK accession; and how many have been (a) deleted and (b) are no longer in force.

Denis MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold this information. The House of Commons Library estimates that around 9 per cent. of UK legislation emanates from the EU. The details in the tables are taken from the annual Commission Report on the activities of the EU, which has in turn been collated by the House of Commons. The figures for EU regulations, directives and decisions enacted are only available for the years 19802003 inclusive. The figures for legislation repealed or expired are only available for the years 19972003 inclusive.
	
		EU regulations, directives and decision enacted between 19802003
		
			  Commission Council Total 
		
		
			 1980 5,901 instruments(43) 51 directives  
			   312 regulations  
			   136 decisions  
			 
			 1981 6,044 instruments 45 directives  
			   414 regulations  
			   150 decisions  
			 
			 1982 5,321 instruments 42 directives  
			   393 regulations  
			   128 decisions  
			 
			 1983 14,123 instruments 41 directives  
			   395 regulations  
			   108 decisions  
			 
			 1984 5,190 instruments 53 directives  
			   351 regulations  
			   99 decisions  
			 1985 7,442 instruments 59 directives  
			   447 regulations  
			   109 decisions  
			 
			 1986 12,081 instruments 74 directives  
			   473 regulations  
			   184 decisions  
			 
			 1987 8,212 instruments 40 directives  
			   458 regulations  
			   125 decisions  
			 
			 1988 6,799 instruments 63 directives  
			   434 regulations  
			   131 decisions  
			 
			 1989 5,737 instruments 79 directives  
			   394 regulations  
			   161 decisions  
			 
			 1990 6,298 instruments 65 directives  
			   380 regulations  
			   169 decisions  
			 
			 1991 6,130 instruments 72 directives  
			   335 regulations  
			   174 decisions  
			 
			 1992 34 directives 95 directives 129 
			  1,137 regulations 381 regulations 1,518 
			  385 decisions 134 decisions 519 
			 Total   2,166 
			 
			 1993 52 directives 65 directives 117 
			  1,160 regulations 325 regulations 1,485 
			  520 decisions 135 decisions 655 
			 Total   2,257 
			 
			 1994 24 directives 17 directives 41 
			  1,579 regulations 180 regulations 1,759 
			  445 decisions 72 decisions 517 
			 Total   2,317 
			 
			 1995 35 directives 39 directives 74 
			  2,801 regulations 242 regulations 3,043 
			  3,025 decisions 175 decisions 3,200 
			 Total   6,317 
			 
			 1996 39 directives 58 directives 97 
			  2,341 regulations 247 regulations 2,588 
			  2,806 decisions 170 decisions 2,985 
			 Total   5,670 
			 
			 1997 35 directives 34 directives (20 with EP) 69 
			  760 regulations 209 regulations (1 with EP) 969 
			  635 decisions 164 decisions (7 with EP) 799 
			 Total   1,837 
			 
			 1998 44 directives 53 directives (26 with EP) 97 
			  733 regulations 202 regulations 975 
			  537 decisions 196 decisions (7 with EP) 733 
			 Total   1,805 
			 
			 1999 55 directives 44 directives (14 with EP) 99 
			  842 regulations 144 regulations (11 with EP) 986 
			  516 decisions 139 decisions (18 with EP) 655 
			 Total   1,740 
			 
			 2000 38 directives 43 directives (18 with EP) 81 
			  606 regulations 182 regulations (34 with EP) 788 
			  557 decisions 24 decisions (4 with EP) 581 
			 Total   1,450 
			 
			 2001 18 directives 45 directives (23 with EP) 63 
			  600 regulations 152 regulations (15 with EP) 752 
			  651 decisions 30 decisions (3 with EP) 681 
			 Total   1,496 
			 
			 2002 44 directives 149 directives (36 with EP) 193 
			  602 regulations 164 regulations (24 with EP) 766 
			  610 decisions 57 decisions (6 with EP) 667 
			 Total   1,626 
			 
			 2003 61 directives 19 directives (41 with EP)  
			  648 regulations 154 regulations (35 with EP)  
			  560 decisions 30 decisions (9 with EP)  
			 Total   1,557 
		
	
	(43) These figures includes regulations, decisions, directives, recommendations and opinions (i.e. legislative and non-legislative instruments), as Commission sources prior to 1992 do not give a breakdown for Commission instruments.
	
		EU legislation repealed or expired, 19972003
		
			  Commission Council Total 
		
		
			 1997 27 directives 39 directives (1 with EP) 66 
			  503 regulations 271 regulations 774 
			  199 decisions 83 decisions (1 with EP) 282 
			 Total   1,122 
			 
			 1998 13 directives 46 directives (2 with EP) 59 
			  551 regulations 146 regulations 697 
			  260 decisions 192 decisions (5 with EP) 452 
			 Total   1,408 
			 
			 1999 17 directives 57 directives 74 
			  612 regulations 193 regulations 805 
			  381 decisions 141 decisions (14 with EP) 522 
			 Total   1,401 
			 
			 2000 21 directives 43 directives 64 
			  602 regulations 201 regulations (l with EP) 803 
			  131 decisions 29 decisions 160 
			 Total   1,027 
			 
			 2001 10 directives 49 directives (1 with EP) 59 
			  555 regulations 147 regulations (3 with EP) 702 
			  143 decisions 11 decisions 154 
			 Total   285 
			 
			 2002 32 directives 51 directives (3 with EP) 83 
			  398 regulations 149 regulations (5 with EP) 547 
			  178 decisions 21 decisions (4 with EP) 203 
			 Total   833 
			 
			 2003 33 directives 38 directives (8 with EP)  
			  328 regulations 69 regulations (1 with EP)  
			  122 decisions 25 decisions (5 with EP)  
			 Total   629

EU-ASEAN Meetings

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  whether the Government will be represented at the EU-ASEAN meetings during Burma's chairing of the Association of South-East Asian Nations in 200607;
	(2)  what his policy is on the use of the conditions agreed at Tullamore in April 2004 by the EU as the criteria for whether the EU should attend EU-ASEAN meetings chaired by Burma in 2006;
	(3)  what position the Government will take within the EU on the issue of Burma's military rulers chairing EU-ASEAN meetings in 200607.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 21 March 2005
	We are concerned about Burma's forthcoming chairmanship of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2006. We know too that some other ASEAN members are concerned.
	The UK attends EU-ASEAN meetings as a member of the EU. Decisions on attendance are taken by consensus with the EU. It is too early for the EU to take a decision on the approach it will take in July 2006. This will depend on developments in Burma before then. We have made clear that we wish to see real progress towards genuine democratisation in Burma including the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.
	We are also using our regular bilateral and multilateral contacts with all ASEAN members, who are key to progress on this issue, to encourage them to press the military regime in Burma to enter into a meaningful dialogue with the democratic opposition and ethnic groups as soon as possible. There is a clear understanding that the prospect of Burmese chairmanship of ASEAN makes the need for change all the more pressing.

European Constitution

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on consistency in the wording of the question in each country's referendum on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.

Denis MacShane: None.

Interpretation/Translation Services

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many companies have been invited to tender for (a) interpretation and translation services and (b) interpretation equipment provision for EU presidency meetings hosted by the UK; and what the value of each tender is.

Denis MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 31 January 2005, Official Report, column 716W. Since then, we have issued no further invitations to tender for interpretation services, translation services or equipment provision for FCO-run UK EU presidency events. Other Government Departments are responsible for arranging these services for their own presidency events.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the UK lawyer based in the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq first became aware of allegations of abuse at Abu Ghraib and other US detention facilities.

Denis MacShane: The UK lawyers based in the Coalition Provisional Authority building in Baghdad first became aware of allegations of mistreatment of detainees at Abu Ghraib and other US detention facilities in February 2004, by which time the US authorities had already begun detailed investigations.

Iraq

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost of his Department's operations in Iraq have been since September 2002.

Denis MacShane: The direct local resource cost of Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) operations in Iraq for financial years 200203 and 200304 was 0.349 million and 5.465 million respectively. Direct local resource costs for financial year 200405 are estimated to be around 13 million.
	Estimated FCO capital investment expenditure in financial year 0405, relating to setting up posts in Baghdad, Basra and Kirkuk, is some 10 million.

Iraq

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he included the text of the full advice from the Attorney-General on the war in Iraq with the correspondence he sent to his ministerial colleagues in advance of the debate on 18 March 2003.

Denis MacShane: No. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary wrote to ministerial colleagues and Members of Parliament on 17 March 2003 enclosing, among other things, a copy of his letter to the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the same date setting out the legal basis for the use of force. This included the Attorney General's Parliamentary Answer and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office paper entitled Iraq: Legal Basis for the Use of Force.

Lebanon

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to encourage democracy in Lebanon.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 17 March 2005
	The international community has been united in calling for Syria to withdraw its troops and intelligence personnel from Lebanon in compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559. My noble Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, visited Lebanon on 2425 February. In her discussions with Lebanese Foreign Minister Hammoud, she made it clear that we expect Syrian withdrawal to be complete and rapid, so that Lebanon can hold free and fair elections to its National Assembly without foreign influence or interference. My noble Friend also emphasised the importance of a full and transparent investigation into Mr. Rafic Hariri's assassination in Beirut on 14 February. The UK stands ready to assist the Lebanese Government in preparing for fully democratic elections.

Lebanon

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of the security situation in Lebanon since the start of the withdrawal of Syrian military forces.

Denis MacShane: The withdrawal of Syrian troops to the Beka'a Valley in Lebanon and back to Syria is a first step in the implementation on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559. Since the start of the withdrawal, the security situation has remained calm, as can be seen by the large-scale peaceful rallies that have been taking place in Beirut. So far, the Lebanese security forces have shown themselves to be capable of filling the security role left by the departing Syrian troops.

Palestinian Authority

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of progress made by the Palestinian Authority in reform of its security apparatus.

Denis MacShane: We have worked closely with the Palestinian Authority (PA) on reform of their security apparatus. The London Meeting on 1 March 2005 was aimed at supporting the PA in its plans to build the institutions needed to underpin a future viable Palestinian state. At the meeting, PA President Abu Mazen promised 100 per cent. effort on security, and set out detailed plans in this area, along with plans for governance reform and economic development. On security specifically, the early signs have been good and on 16 March 2005 Israel handed Jericho over to PA security control. It is imperative that the PA's efforts continue. We will continue to work with the parties and the international community to support the Palestinian Authority.

Palestinian Authority

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will encourage the Palestinian Authority to take steps to ensure that Christian Arabs are not driven out of the territories by the activities of extremists.

Denis MacShane: We are not aware of Christian Arabs being driven out of the territories by the activities of Palestinian extremists. However, we do call upon the Palestinian Authority to continue with reforms, especially security reform, so that it can ensure Palestinian law and order and take effective action against rejectionist and extremist violence.

Rwanda

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the instructions he gave to the UK ambassador to the UN in relation to UK policy on Rwanda in the months prior to the beginning of the Rwandan genocide.

Chris Mullin: It is an established convention that Ministers of one administration cannot see the documents of a previous administration. I am therefore unable to provide the information requested.

Sikh Employees

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is on the wearing of the kirpan by Sikh employees.

Douglas Alexander: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) commitment not to discriminate unfairly on the grounds of religion or belief is set out clearly in our equal opportunities policy. This states:
	All FCO staff are entitled to be treated with respect. No staff should be exposed to unfair discrimination, including harassment, bullying or victimisation on any grounds, particularly gender, family status, race, disability, religion, faith or sexual orientation.
	The FCO does not have a specific policy on the wearing of clothing or items associated with particular religions. This includes the kirpan. However, in line with our equal opportunities policy, all employees are free to practice their religion.
	The FCO has taken a number of steps to address discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief. These include: diversity training for all staff, diversity objectives for all staff, provision of prayer rooms, and flexible working which enables staff to pray during religious festivals.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Sudan concerning its use of arrest of civilians in Darfur on the basis that they are helping the Sudan Liberation Army.

Denis MacShane: We make frequent representations to the Government of Sudan on the need for it to abide by international humanitarian and human rights law. We have stressed the need to stop arbitrary arrests as part of this commitment.
	We continue to make clear to the Government of Sudan and the rebel factions that they must respect the ceasefire in Darfur, and fulfil their commitments under the Abuja Humanitarian and Security Protocols. They must take all steps to prevent attacks, threats, intimidation and any other form of violence, including arbitrary arrests, against civilians by any party or group.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Sudan on the use of torture.

Denis MacShane: We have frequent discussions, both bilaterally and as part of the EU-Sudan dialogue, with the Government of Sudan on the need for it to abide by international humanitarian and human rights law, including by ratifying and implementing the UN Convention Against Torture. Most recently, we raised our concerns about human rights violations in Sudan, including torture, as part of the EU-Sudan human rights dialogue on 24 February and during the EU-Sudan political dialogue on 3 March.
	We are providing 180,000 over three years to support the work of the Sudanese Organisation Against Torture which works to support victims of torture, challenge legal impunity and raise human rights awareness.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the UN's recent estimate of the number of deaths in Darfur; and how many of those he estimates were killed by (a) ethnic violence, (b) malnutrition and (c) disease.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 18 March 2005
	The UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator, Jan Egeland, has said that he estimates that 180,000 people have died in Darfur from disease and malnutrition over the last 18 months. We share his grave concerns about the situation in Darfur and elsewhere in Sudan. Insecurity prevents regular access to the worst affected areas, inhibiting accurate assessment, and there are, therefore, no reliable mortality figures at this time.
	We recognise the need for more accurate data so the UK is funding a second survey by the World Health Organisation in conjunction with the Sudanese Ministry of Health. This will commence at the end of April.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of whether the situation in Darfur constitutes genocide.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 18 March 2005
	The UK pressed for the establishment of an expert International Commission of Inquiry (ICI) by the UN to investigate the atrocities in Darfur, and determine whether genocide had been committed. The ICI's report, issued to the UN Security Council on 31 January, concluded that, while the Government of Sudan had not pursued a policy of genocide in Darfur, a competent court would need to decide whether certain individuals had done so, and that the Government of Sudan, the Arab militias and the rebels are all guilty of serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law, which may amount to crimes against humanity and/or war crimes.
	We have consistently made clear that the perpetrators of these terrible crimes must be brought to justice. The UN Security Council is united in its determination that there can be no impunity for these crimes. We continue to discuss the way forward with our partners in the Security Council.

Sustainable Development

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the (a) G8 and (b) EU are taking to promote sustainable development, with particular reference to (i) climate change and (ii) Africa.

Denis MacShane: 2005 is an important year for the global community to take action on climate change and on Africa in the context of sustainable development. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is committed to using the opportunity offered by our twin presidencies of the EU and G8 to make real progress.
	The review of the EU's sustainable development strategy provides the EU with the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to promoting sustainable development and tackling climate change in the context of the re-launched Lisbon strategy. But this is just one element of the EU's climate change strategy: implementation of the EU emissions trading scheme is helping the EU to meet its Kyoto targets; on future action, the EU will be seeking to reinvigorate international dialogue under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Engaging countries beyond the EU will be a vital part of this. The G8 too is firmly focused on climate change. The UK presidency of the G8 aims to build on past G8 initiatives, including on technology development, by promoting a broader understanding of the challenges of addressing climate change.
	On Africa, the EU is the world's largest provider of aid to the region and an important trade partner. It is working to provide a sustainable response to the recommendations of the Commission for Africa, and to ensure that the millennium development summit gives new impetus to action on sustainable development and climate change in order to tackle global poverty and achieve the millennium development goals. The G8 is working to agree a comprehensive plan of specific actions to address the complex and inter-linked problems of Africa. This plan will build on the work of the Kananaskis G8 Africa Action Plan, the Commission for Africa, the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa's Development.

Uganda

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many treason suspects are on remand in Uganda; what the nature is of the charges; whether the suspects are linked to political parties; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We have asked the Uganda Human Rights Commission for an estimate of numbers, grounds and political affiliation of those being detained on treason charges. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as we get this information.

Uganda

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the strength of the (a) Uganda People's Defence Forces and (b) Ugandan Presidential Protection Brigade; how many different security organisations are operating in Uganda; what technical assistance the UK gives to each organisation; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: All military organisations, including the Uganda Army, Air Force, National Police Air Wing, and Marines, are considered as part of the Uganda Peoples' Defence Force (UPDF). The UPDF assessed strength is around 50,000.
	There are four main security organisations; the Internal Security Organisation, External Security Organisation, the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence and Special Branch. We have urged the Ugandan Government to put these organisations onto a firm statutory basis so as to allow proper public and Parliamentary scrutiny of their activities. We are providing no technical assistance to any of them.
	The Department for International Development has provided approximately 0.2 million to support the Uganda Defence Review process and approximately 2.5 million in non-military assistance for conflict resolution efforts in northern and eastern Uganda.
	I also refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) on 16 March 2005 Official Report, column 346W.

Uganda

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the proportion of Uganda's national budget that is spent on (a) health, (b) education, (c) agriculture and (d) defence; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: Figures from the 200304 approved budget (including donor funded projects) are:
	Health12.3%
	Education18.8%
	Agriculture3.2%
	Security (defence)10.6%.
	Uganda has a well-developed and consultative budgetary process. Donors are involved throughout, and have an opportunity to endorse the budget at the annual Public Expenditure Review. This level of consultation allows partners, including the UK, to ensure government meets its commitment to prioritise poverty reduction. Budget execution is generally good and closely monitored by government and donors, including the International Financial Institutions. Our Poverty Reduction Budget Support, and that of other partners such as the World Bank, is conditional on our endorsement of the budget and its subsequent execution.